*5 stars* Akwaeke Emezi is an auto buy author. I will continue to purchase (even after receiving the arc) everything they write.

I found this book to be incredibly compelling, offering numerous valuable insights that linger long after finishing the novel.

Comparing it to another stellar read, "Pet," I must admit I still slightly favored the latter. One aspect I particularly admired was the profound exploration of the individual's role in combating racism and social injustice.

The narrative underlines the significance of each person's contribution, whether actively engaged in the front lines of the battle or playing a different yet crucial part.

I was deeply moved by the distinctive voice Akaweke lends to their characters, emphasizing the strength inherent in each persona they bring to life through their writing.

This book exudes a remarkable power that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression. I eagerly anticipate revisiting it, ready to annotate and mark its pages extensively.

Great book with enthralling writing. It can be very dark, it takes on very hard subjects in way that makes your skin crawl but you keep nodding your head.

This book was so good. It had me hooked from page 1. There was so many deep topics that were included. I believe that students will have a great time reading it and will be fully invested in it.

This was very intriguing and I kinda wish I had reread Pet first just to get back into this world and magical art vibes, but it holds it's own as well. I really loved and appreciated the conversations around activism and how far is too far when you're looking for justice. A really thought provoking and gritty read.

What a great companion to Pet! Emezi did a great job depicting various roles people can take on in a movement, and that no matter how people approach revolution, all of the different ways matter and have power. I loved the characters, especially Bitter since she encapsulates someone who is conflicted about everything going on around her in the world and just being a teenager trying to escape the hardships in her own life. Although the story stands well on its own, it still has a similar tone to Pet. I hope Emezi decides to add more to the world of Lucille.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Knopf for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. 3.5 stars. This book follows the author's prior book in the series, Pet. Bitter is attending a special school to focus on her painting yet the street are filled with protests in Lucille. Should one stay safe or fight for a different world? I was looking forward to this next book and high expectations. But, as the first had such a big impact, this one felt lacking.

Bitter is a companion/prequel to Emezi's genius sci-fi middle grade novel, Pet. In this book, we learn about the backstory of Jam's mother, Bitter, in the time before all of the monsters were vanquished in the city of Lucille.

Bitter is an artist at the Eucalyptus school, a place where lost teenagers are given a home. Bitter has a lot of pain in her past, and she revels in the bubble of her art school. She avoids getting into the public protests that are clanging through the city. The city is a harsh place, and Bitter wants to stay inside with her artist friends. When Bitter meets a new student named Aloe, she starts to see her role in a new light. Oh, and she has a unique talent for making her paintings come to life.

Emezi is an absolute master at commenting on society and writing complex characters who keep you turning the pages. You can read this or Pet first, but I recommend both! Emezi is an auto-buy author for me, and their adult novels are just as insightful and full of feeling.

I find Emezi’s YA novels to be so layered yet accessible at the same time. I can easily see myself recommending this to patrons as well as for the classroom in conjunction with a history curriculum or a discussion on social and civil movements.

Great on its own but makes much more sense in context with Pet. I liked Pet more, but I really appreciated this volume. I absoutely love Emezi's writing and how they tailor their prose to the audience for whatever genre they're working in at the time (YA in this case). I liked an expanded window into Bitter's world and the original calling of the monsters in Lucille and the ways this book will have teen readers thinking through what justice really looks like and means to them.

I received this egalley as part of the ALAN conference and it is kept on a kindle in my classroom. My rating is based on the fact that my students have enjoyed this title and I look forward to when I get the chance to read it.

I purchased this book for my high school library. My students have enjoyed it. and it has circulated well.

This is a companion to the National Book Award finalist Pet.

Bitter has been in and out of Foster care all her life. That is until she is chosen to attend Eucalyptus, a special school where students of all backgrounds get to study their interests. Bitter's focus is art. The school is a sort of haven. With what is happening outside the walls of Eucalyptus in the town of Lucille, Bitter is more than happy to stay in the safety of the school. Outside in the city of Lucille, protests and injustices pull Bitter in many different directions. Old friends are trying to get her outside and be a part of what is happening around her. A new love interest pulls her away from what she loves. And then there is her creative passion for her art. What will she decide, and what will it cost her?

Bitter is the story of a young person trying to find their place in the world - a world of confusion, injustice, hatred, and loathing. Although this is a dark story, it is very timely. When something happens to one of her friends, Bitter can use her gifts to bring something into this world that helps them, or so she thinks. The problem is that she does not understand it and quickly learns she cannot control it. A lot is happening in this story, from Bitter's friends being LGBTQIA+ teens of color to Bitter's complicated past. Bitter's story is non-stop excitement but leaves you with the question - what would I do?

As with Pet (Akwaeke Emezi's companion to Bitter), I loved Bitter from the start. Akwaeke Emezi's prose is something to behold. I also seem to relate to Bitter. Although I used to be an extrovert, since the beginning of Covid, like Bitter, I have found myself hiding out in my house, not wanting to be a part of the world. The problem is that I have no art to fall back on. I do not.

I would highly recommend this excellent book. There is no order that you need to read Pet and Bitter. Just pick them up and enjoy them!

This is a prequel to Pet, an amazing book unlike anything I had ever read before. This is the story of Lucille while it was still dangerous. It's in the future from now, but perhaps not too far off. This story looks at the different ways to approach conflict, why one might not want to put their body on the line, and why one might say yes. This book shows the horror of angels, and the might. There's a lot to ponder here.

Bitter is so beautifully written. There are monsters that are brought out when blood mixes with art and these monsters are out for justice. Even if they’re more aggressive than some would like.
Akwaeke Emezi writes fiction like poetry, it’s beautiful and it captures you in. They had me copying elegant sentences just to save them.
After this book (& Pet) I’ll read anything that Akwaeke Emezi writes.

Emezi does it again! I read this in one sitting and it was just as good as Pet. I love their writing and how they bring all the themes together in each story.

As always, Akwaeke Emezi is beyond amazing. Their work will ever stop taking my breath away.

This novel serves as a prequel to "Pet" where we get to see a city plagued with protests and kids preparing for war. Having time for love and fun is a revolutionary act and our protagonist Bitter learns that radical joy is the most powerful tool in a society ridden with state violence.

This has an imaginative premise with a fantastical twist I did not expect.

Akwaeke Emezi is always a hit and this book, a prequel to Pet, is no exception. Very intense and accessible read.

I enjoyed this quite a lot, though I never read PET, it's definitely on my radar now. The authors writing style was wonderful, and I found myself wrapped up in this story.