Akwaeke Emezi is one of those author’s that I’ll pick up no matter what. Each book of theirs I’ve read stands out to me for so many reasons. Their writing is this amazing lyricalness that keeps you glued to the page, needing to see what’s going to happen next. Pet did all of this, blending humor with a very tough and upsetting topic that we all should be made more aware of. The basic idea is set in an Utopian town in somewhere US who has gotten rid of all the monsters. Everyone is welcomed and safe because their town was saved by angels. But what happens if the monsters are still there, hiding behind masks? 
Jam becomes interested in angels, actual angels that carry the same name that the people who fought for their town against monsters have taken their name. But when her mother’s painting comes alive and tells her there’s a monster in town suddenly everything changes for Jam and her friend Redemption. Together with Pet, a monstrous looking creature that is determined to hunt for the monster, they work together to figure out who and where this monster is. I don’t want to go too far into detail simply because this book is short. But I will warn of some trigger warnings. This book does involve child abuse and sexual assault of a minor. I recommend staying away from this book if these might trigger anyone, but I do suggest it if you can read it. This book is honestly amazing. Jam is a trans girl who was accepted right away when she was three when she came out. Jam doesn’t talk often and will sign to get words out. So when Jam started screaming that she was a girl, her family right away accepted it. As some who’s trans this honestly meant the world to me. Not only that but the characters all gender neutral names. Redemption has three parents, a mom, a dad, and Whisper, who goes by they/them pronouns. Again, I loved this. I loved the characters. I could see what this book was leading to, but I didn’t care. This book is diverse in the best ways. Redemption is a sweet kid who steals your heart and Jam is so smart and has a big heart. And then there’s Pet. I loved Pet. It (using it simply because that’s how Pet was referred to in this book) was so interesting as a character and the fact it cared so much about Jam honestly was everything. There was amazing world building and then you add this creature to the mix. The amount of building myth and world is so good. 
All in all I HIGHLY recommend this book.

A beautiful and inventive work of fiction. It's dark, yet whimsical and explores how difficult it can be to see the evil that is happening in front of us because we believe we are safe.

Pet is a great book for students who enjoy dystopian stories. Pet is especially great because it has LGBTQ characters and covers a serious topic that more people need to talk about, but in a very creative way. I really enjoyed the relationship between Pet and Jam. The one problem I had was the ending. It seems like it wrapped up a bit too quick. Hand to students who enjoyed King and the Dragonflies and Cemetary Boys.

This book is one of the most interesting books I have read thus far. Jam is a deaf trans girl who does not suffer from her gender. Jam’s friends and family accept her without question. Although there was a lot of over-explaining I still felt this story was worth my time. The beginning was good things were lacking in some places. We find out the price of creating an institutionalized utopia. The world-building and character development could’ve been more fleshed out. All and all I believe this was an interesting and very unique story about the good and evil among us.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Jam and Redemption are helping Pet hunt a monster, but monsters are not supposed to exist. When they find the monster, the adults in their lives do not believe them. Pet is there to provide justice because it says that humans will never do the right thing. This book is beautifully written and heart-wrenching and the children have to decide what to do to protect the loved ones in their lives when their parents won't listen. It's very emotionally charged and amazing.

Monsters don't exist in the city of Lucille. Not anymore. That's what teenaged Jam and the other children of her generation have grown up learning. There once was a time when people hurt each other-- when abuse and corruption and brutality ran rampant. But police no longer exist, the prisons have been abolished, the monsters are locked away in rehabilitation centers, and programs have been put in place to keep new monsters from forming. But then one day, a strange creature steps out of a painting and claims to be hunting a monster in Jam's best friend's house. And Jam needs to join the hunt.

"The truth does not change whether it is seen or unseen[...] A thing that is happening happens whether you look at it or not. And yes, maybe it is easier not to look. Maybe it is easier to say because you do not see it, it is not happening." (95)

I liked the central message of this book: that monsters thrive in silence. That it's crucial to acknowledge and educate in order to break that silence and expose abusers. That we have to be willing to disrupt seeming peace and order and see past our own biases if we're going to succeed in rooting out abuse and exploitation and injustice. I also loved the casual representation of an all-Black cast, AAVE and Caribbean creole dialects, a transgender selectively-mute MC who uses sign language and occasionally disassociates, and a side polyamorous relationship that includes a nonbinary character with they/them pronouns. I do have some issues with the ending of the book-- I don't think it is clear enough on the ethical manner of dealing with abusers. There is no real explanation as to what the "rehabilitation" facility for monsters actually entails. 3.5 stars

TW: child abuse, pedophilia, religious themes (Christianity)

This book is not what I expected it to be at all!

This book is amazing, such a beautiful story of the fight against monsters. This story can inspire so many conversations on important topics. 

This makes you consider what is a monster. Is Pet a monster or is the Evil a monster?

Imaginative and without borders, PET took us into a world that was familiar and safe as well as unknown and dangerous. We spent a rainy weekend buddy reading with twelve-year olds who tussled to know and like with Pet, Jam, and Redemption. Then, Aloe, Bitter, Hibiscus, and Glass. This realistic fantasy is a stretch with unique characters, new dialogues, strange music and food, sign language, and angels (maybe?). We spent hours unpacking characters, themes, conflicts, and vocabulary while reading PET by akwaeke emezi so we paired this book with a tasty brew of ginger beer--also a new experience for these rootbeer lovers.  3.5-stars  #JozefBookandBrew

I really wanted to love this one, but unfortunately, I found something about the tone or writing style to be confusing. The story deals with monsters, both real and human. I understood the message the author was going for (at least, I think so) but I was constantly wondering what I was supposed to picture - a person or a monster. The city felt like some sort of utopia, but then I wasn't even sure it was just one city or if maybe Lucielle was the entire land. The city having what is traditionally a person's name, and then the characters having names like Aloe and Hibiscus also really threw me off. I just felt like I was doing too much thinking - constantly trying to form a concrete idea of what was happening - and it took me out of the story and kept me from enjoying it fully.

That being said, I loved the friendship between the two main characters. I noticed at one point they said "I love you" to each other when just casually parting ways and that's not something I've read or even really witnessed in real life. I think it's important to remind your friends that you love them! The main character is also trans, which is a first in a middle-grade/YA read for me. And then I liked many of the messages the book gave - just because you know someone, doesn't mean they can't hurt you; you might think all the monsters are gone, but some can hide in plain sight; just because times are better than they were before, doesn't mean they can't still improve.

While this wasn't the smash hit for me that I'd expected, I know a lot of people love this book and if you're interested in the plot, it's definitely one you should check out!

This was a very strange, powerful book. I originally requested it to see if I thought it might be appropriate for my 9-yo, but I think it would be too raw and upsetting. Very important, heavy themes couched in a strange, mystical story of a Black trans child's relationship with a scary, protective monster. I can't exactly say I enjoyed this book, as it was an emotionally difficult read, but I think it would be perfect for a young teen who was ready to explore the ugliest parts of society.

This was just too weird for me, and definitely too mature for my middle school, though not like, x-rated at all.
An interesting concept, with utopian ideas and lovely family and friends.

Absolutely loved this book!  Jam is a selectively non-verbal trans girl who lives in Lucille, a futuristic sounding, town in America that has zero "monsters", and everyone is accepted for who they are. 
This book is a fresh take on monsters and angels, where we are not quite sure who the monsters are. 
When Jam's mother, Bitter,  painted creature with horns, feathers, goats legs and talons on the end of human hands walks out of the painting,  we think he is the monster, but he is not. He, Pet, is here to hunt the monster and he needs Jams help.
There is an aspect magical realism , along with a warning the we should not be content with the way things seem and should always be looking for the "unseen".  
I feel this is very relevant to todays world and it is a must read for everyone. 
I will be reading more by Akwaeke Emezi.

I don't even know where to begin; this was so hard to get a feel for, things meandered all over everywhere and when I finally figured out what the heck was going on, it was over and I still had a million questions.

A little girl can see a monster, but he doesn't scare her and doesn't threaten to hurt her.  He is, however, here to hurt someone who deserves it and it seems to be either her best friend or someone in his household.  Where and why the monster shows up is still a bit of a mystery that is never cleared up.

That's pretty much the plot.  We s l o w l y learn little things about the girl and her best friend, we learn who is going to be the recipient of the monsters wrath, and we learn the little girls mother knows all about the monster but neglected to mention it to anyone.  

This was a confusing, mish mosh of constantly swirling subjects we are supposed to care about (I won't say much more as pretty much every revelation is a spoiler).  But the plot line took such a roundabout, zigzagging path to the story points, that by the time you figured out what the author was trying to get across you had lost all interest.

I know I'm in the minority but I just couldn't recommend this book.

A wonderful tale of love, friendship, and monsters set in a world unlike any other. I loved this book, the world was super intriguing and I adored the character of Pet. My only problem was that it seemed to have been marketed wrong. It felt like a middle grade book, but it was marketed as young adult. That's the only reason it's four stars instead of five for me.

Exceptional, thoughtful book sharing a voice you might not have experienced before. Beautifully written.

This book just wasn't for me but I will still be purchasing this for my library.   I usually enjoy magical realism but just couldn't connect with it in this story.

Content Warnings: mention of child abuse, mention of rape

Pet is a raw, poetic, and hopeful look at what it means to live in a just society. The story centers on Jam, a Black teen girl who was born in the city of Lucille after a revolution ostensibly removed all “monsters”—white supremacists, corrupt politicians, rapists, domestic abusers, and rapacious billionaires, to name but a few—and instituted systems of equality, peace, and rehabilitation for those who transgress against Lucille’s ideals. Now that the monsters are all gone, the citizens of Lucille no longer live in fear. But one day a creature named Pet arrives and tells Jam that there is a monster that she needs to hunt…and that the monster is in the home of her best friend Redemption. Jam must figure out how to find a monster that looks like a normal person so that she can protect her friend and save her city.

As with any utopia, there are problems below the surface, but there is so much to emulate in Lucille’s ethics and policies. Lucille is pro-Black and pro-queer. It supports children’s rights and bodily autonomy. Jam is trans, but that fact doesn’t dominate the narrative; this is not a story of trans pain, it is a story of a trans heroine. Jam’s parents support her fiercely and unequivocally when she tells them at age 3 that she is a girl. However, even the most loving and nurturing of people can have blind spots, as evidenced by the adults in Redemption’s life refusing to believe him when he finally discovers who the monster is.

The identity and nature of the monster is not a surprise at all, and that’s what makes the reveal so sad and so realistic. We live in a world of monsters. Many of us recognize them, but all too often we either don’t know what to do when we see them or we’re unwilling to do what is needed (or we know what to do and are willing to do it but the system fails us anyway). And if the reveal is a surprise to you? Then that, too, is what makes it so sad and so realistic. As author Akwaeke Emezi repeatedly points out, monsters hide in plain sight. They could be our friends, our neighbors, or our family members. Jam and Redemption were taught that the monsters were gone, so they didn’t know what to look for…they didn’t even know to look at all. Pet teaches Jam that you must seek the unseen to root out evil wherever it lives. Complacency lets wounds fester and allows the people who cause those wounds to hide and continue inflicting pain wherever they go. Constant vigilance is necessary for justice.

Pet is poetic in the truest sense of the word, inventing new words and phrases you didn’t know we needed until they arrive to distill the truth of existence into tiny gems of language. Emezi’s words are fluid and vibrant and alive—they reshape language and adjust readers’ perspectives and examine the complex relationships between art, artist, and audience. Pet is a unique story told by a unique voice. As long as humans exist, this book will stay relevant as a reminder of the good and the bad of which we are capable and the need to keep fighting for a better world.

I wasn't sure what to make of this at first. It's certainly an incredibly progressive work of fiction. I have never read anything like it before. But I wasn't sure if it would be more appealing to younger readers, or if older teens would pick it up. It skews younger in a lot of ways (the tone, the protagonist's ages, etc.), but these kids are dealing with much more mature content as well. So it's different. But I definitely enjoyed it!

This was the absolute perfect read this week! I was really feeling like some YA after I’d had a bout of heavy nonfiction reads, and this was compelling and clever and rich in allegory. Not a “light” read by any measure, but the imagery and monster hunt of sorts was extremely clever and a well-timed read for me. Highly recommend checking this out (particularly if you’re waiting for their next release, THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI - out in August by @riverheadbooks).

Excellent YA debut by Akwaeke. Handles difficult topics without being didactic. Strongly recommended for parents who want to have difficult conversations about societal ills.