By Nikita Blair
After my Valentines’ Day readings back in February, I made a vow with myself: during 2023, I would read more of Akaweke Emezi’s work. I began this endeavour with “You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty”, Emezi’s titillating romance debut featuring two bisexual lead characters and their struggles to find happiness and love after traumatic events in their lives. I loved this book, and it inspired me to read more of their work this year.
So, as Pride Month comes to an end, I return to Emezi. This time, I’ve chosen their young adult debut novel “Pet”, published back in 2019. “Pet” is a deceptively slim volume. Within its relatively short page-count, it explores weighty topics such as utopias, community health and the evils that can lurk and thrive in seemingly perfect societies. And in true Emezi fashion, this book thrilled me in unexpected and wonderful ways.
