A review by jaimeeslitlife
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

adventurous emotional reflective 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

"Forgetting is dangerous. Forgetting is how the monsters come back."

Akwaeke Emezi's PET is a story about a world so beautiful that the ugly cannot be seen, because we are told that it simply cannot exist. There are no monsters anymore - so why has a creature materialized from one of Jam's mother's paintings who says its purpose is to hunt a monster? 

PET is a brilliantly written novel that asks us to consider the consequences of willful ignorance and denial. This is one that I will definitely have to revisit - I can already tell that it will have more and more meaning in every reread. Emezi's writing and the world they have created here is astounding, and I can't wait to read more of their work.