Bitter
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi is a companion novel to the acclaimed work Pet, published by Random House Children’s Books on July 18, 2023. This 272-page book is presented in English and follows the journey of Bitter, an aspiring artist invited to a special school in the town of Lucille. As she immerses herself in her painting, she grapples with a hidden secret while the streets around her are filled with social unrest, highlighting the tension between creativity and activism in a community yearning for change.
Readers will find a narrative that explores the significance of youth-led social movements and the personal costs associated with them. Bitter navigates her dual existence between the art studio and the protests, questioning her role in the Revolution and the sacrifices it may entail. The story delves into themes of social justice and the power of artistic expression, set against the backdrop of a society struggling with injustice and inequality. Through Bitter’s experiences, Emezi examines the intersection of art and activism, making this a thought-provoking addition to young adult fiction.
Official synopsis Publisher
From National Book Award finalist Akwaeke Emezi comes a companion novel to PET that explores both the importance and cost of social revolution–and how youth lead the way.
Bitter is an aspiring artist who has been invited to cultivate her talents at a special school in the town of Lucille. Surrounded by other creative teens, she can focus on her painting–though she hides a secret from everyone around her. Meanwhile, the streets of Lucille are filled with social unrest. This is Lucille before the Revolution. A place of darkness and injustice. A place where a few ruling elites control the fates of the many.
The young people of Lucille know they deserve better–they aren’t willing to settle for this world that the adults say is “just the way things are.” They are protesting, leading a much-needed push for social change. But Bitter isn’t sure where she belongs–in the art studio or in the streets. And if she does find a way to help the Revolution while being true to who she is, she must also ask: what are the costs?
Acclaimed novelist Akwaeke Emezi looks at the power of youth, protest, and art in this timely and provocative novel, a companion to National Book Award Finalist Pet.
Praise for PET:
“The word hype was invented to describe books like this.” –Refinery29
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST
“[A] beautiful, genre-expanding debut. . . . Pet is a nesting doll of creative possibilities.” —The New York Times
“Like [Madeleine] L’Engle, Akwaeke Emezi asks questions of good and evil and agency, all wrapped up in the terrifying and glorious spectacle of fantastical theology.” –NPR
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