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A review by inkerly
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
4.5
Wow. 4.5 stars
This is a short but mesmerizing and chillingly clever story about the courage to see the unseen, and challenge our notion of what is Good, what is Bad, and what is the inbetween, even if it means admitting that even Evil can walk among us.
Jam, a selectively mute girl, accidentally awakens a mysterious beast , a thing who calls itself Pet, that is out to hunt a monster in her peaceful town of Lucille. But Monsters don’t exist anymore. They were driven out long ago, they can’t exist. At least that’s what everyone tells her.
It took me awhile to get used to this pastel world, this seeming Utopia the author creates. Jam is a selective mute, and trans black girl who lives in a world that is accepting, universally is adapting to Mute, Disabled, Trans and LGBTQIA+, and people of all races, colors, backgrounds. The diversity of the characters in look and personality are interesting. Colorful genderless names and faces. Most of the characters are either black or of some African ancestry, and multiple characters speak different tongues of English, Ebonics or classical, with no fear of being seen as less than. Life is peaceful without the Monsters who looked like Us, talked and laughed and were Loved by Us, held important or revered positions in society by Us, but who were wicked and lawless behind closed doors. The metaphors and allusions to present day are strikingly obvious but fascinating as a story concept. I loved the writing style as well (I can tell it's inspired by flecks of Octavia Butler), and overall this was a quick and wholesome read. While I guessed the Dangerous Hidden monster that Pet and Jam were looking for from the start, I enjoyed the lessons that Pet and Jam taught, and am glad it ended the way it did.
This is a short but mesmerizing and chillingly clever story about the courage to see the unseen, and challenge our notion of what is Good, what is Bad, and what is the inbetween, even if it means admitting that even Evil can walk among us.
Jam, a selectively mute girl, accidentally awakens a mysterious beast , a thing who calls itself Pet, that is out to hunt a monster in her peaceful town of Lucille. But Monsters don’t exist anymore. They were driven out long ago, they can’t exist. At least that’s what everyone tells her.
It took me awhile to get used to this pastel world, this seeming Utopia the author creates. Jam is a selective mute, and trans black girl who lives in a world that is accepting, universally is adapting to Mute, Disabled, Trans and LGBTQIA+, and people of all races, colors, backgrounds. The diversity of the characters in look and personality are interesting. Colorful genderless names and faces. Most of the characters are either black or of some African ancestry, and multiple characters speak different tongues of English, Ebonics or classical, with no fear of being seen as less than. Life is peaceful without the Monsters who looked like Us, talked and laughed and were Loved by Us, held important or revered positions in society by Us, but who were wicked and lawless behind closed doors. The metaphors and allusions to present day are strikingly obvious but fascinating as a story concept. I loved the writing style as well (I can tell it's inspired by flecks of Octavia Butler), and overall this was a quick and wholesome read. While I guessed the Dangerous Hidden monster that Pet and Jam were looking for from the start, I enjoyed the lessons that Pet and Jam taught, and am glad it ended the way it did.