Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Bitter

Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

likeanecho's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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cadence99's review

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I loved Pet, and Bitter certainly didn’t disappoint either. it’s truly such a fulfilling experience to fall into their writing.

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gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I've only read two books by Akwake Emezi (but I think this author could be a favourite), being their middlegrade novella, Pet, & their adult literary romance, You Made A Fool Of Death With Your Beauty (two incredibly different titles, target audiences, etc).

Bitter brings us back to Pet's world of monster filled Lucille... but is it the monsters you're expecting, or a much more sinister kind? The type with a friendly face, & unexpected urges? This story throws us into Bitter's life. Sick & tired of seeing protests & bodies bruised & battered outside the safety of her school, she throws herself into her art... slowly finding hope again, & her own role to play in the fight against the monsters of Lucille.

I really enjoyed this. I love seeing more of this world, & how it affects a different set of characters.

Bitter comes across very standoffish but I enjoyed seeing that hard exterior slowly chip away.

I felt so comforted by Miss Bilphena's care of checking everyone had substantial food I'm their stomachs & the simple question of "you eat meat" made me kind of emotional. I think it was that kindness to care for everyone's dietary needs were cared for, regardless of the chaos happening out in Lucille.

It was great to see more of these hunters & more back story to the magic of the blood/paint. That's something I was really curious about whilst reading Pet & Bitter has answered so many questions.

I loved the message that everyone has a role to play in revolution and you don't have to be in the front line to be doing worth while work. It doesn't make you weak or a coward, everyone has their place and is valued in their effort of changing the world for the better.

This was a powerful & impactful novel.

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marioncromb's review

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Mainly made me want to read Pet again. I liked the glimpses of what Lucille would become - the pockets of love and community, and hope. But this is mainly a book about hurt, and violence and Vengeance.

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bookishmillennial's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

• teen fiction fantasy centered around gifted artist, Bitter
• companion novel to Pet — Bitter is Jam’s mom
• this is set in Lucille when Bitter attends Eucalyptus, a residential school for young artists, run by Miss Virtue
• she just wants peace and quiet, after a childhood spent in foster homes, but young activists involved with Assata, including some of her classmates, are protesting racial & economic injustice with hopes for a better Lucille
• Bitter meets Aloe, who is friends with her ex, Eddie
• Her friends get Injured and one dies, infuriating Bitter into painting a creature called Vengeance, bringing it to life by using her own blood & dealing with the aftermath
• I totally empathized with Bitter, wanting to choose peace — it’s exhausting work but choosing joy ✨is✨ a form of resistance! We all play our roles in activism!
• Nice to see the beginning of Bitter & Aloe’s relationship
• reflections on what activism can look like, including music & art as representations of protest & resistance
• cw: police brutality, violence, death, gun violence, murder, abuse, homophobia, death of parent

I loved this prequel to show how Lucille was before the society we come to know in Pet! A short, powerful, absolute must-read 👏🏽

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anniereads221's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark sad medium-paced

4.0

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lindseyhall44's review

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I picked up Bitter because it’s predecessor Pet, was one of my favorite books of the year. While nothing can compare to the genius that was Pet, Bitter was still an amazing read!
Bitter follows its titular character as she navigates themes of art, social justice, and activism . Set against the backdrop of youth protest, Bitter decide must if leaving the safety of her boarding school, Eucalyptus, is the best way for her to create the change she desires.
The characters were definitely the strongest point of the novel, as Akwaeke did an amazing job creating flawed and complex narratives. Bitter’s character development was a master class itself, but the side characters also added an important outlook into the practice of youth activism, and the many different routes there are!
That being said, I do wish we had gotten a more developed look into Aloe and Bitter’s relationship, but that is just a personal preference, because I love them together!
Overall, I would 100% recommend reading Bitter, but maybe pick up Pet first:)

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