Bitter

Having not yet read Pet, I didn't have any preconcieved notions about the characters or writing style going into Bitter, so it was a completely fresh reading experience for me. I can see why readers love Emezi as a writer - their world building is fantastic, and so much was unexpected. I found the relationships between characters to be so truthful - the friendships, the jealousies, the teen angst - all rang true. This novel tackles activism, feelings of insecurity and imposter syndrome, mental health and ptsd, and the desire to find a place in the world where one belongs, and I felt each were handled with compassion and honestly. Very entertaining and well worth the read - I'm excited to read more work by the author.