“The angels took the laws and changed them, tore down those horrible statues of rich men who’d owned and fought to keep owning people. In many ways, it parallels our own world.

Emezi shows us a society where monsters are not out in the open, but hidden amongst us. Emezi shows us a world that takes place after a revolution in which monsters who committed violent acts, like bombing countries and separating children from their families, have been replaced by angels. Justice is a key part of this book, as we see the characters grapple with how to enact justice on this monster. This message guides her and Redemption as they try to find out who this monster is, and who they are hurting.

This was first said to Jam by Pet when she joins him on the hunt for the monster. As they grapple with the realization that it is not black and white, and that a monster can be someone in your own family, they find out that they cannot continue to let injustice go unnoticed.Ī memorable quote that recurs throughout this book is: “See the unseen”. The characters continue to believe that there are no longer monsters, and if there was one, it would be obvious. One of the core messages of the book is an appeal to overcome complacency during challenging times. We follow Jam and Redemption as they try to overcome their disbelief of monsters, and find out the monster’s identity. Pet has come to hunt a monster who happens to be residing in the house of Jam’s best friend, Redemption. That is until she is visited by a creature that comes out of one of her mother’s paintings named Pet. Like the rest of the people there, she believes that monsters no longer exist.

This book follows Jam, a black, transgender girl who lives in Lucille. In many ways, the book mirrors the systemic racism and issues of justice that characterize the current political situation in the United States. Pet explores a world which may look peaceful and perfect on the outside, but is in fact full of monsters. Pet by Akwaeke Emezi is set in a utopian city, Lucille, where evil people, also called “ monsters” no longer exist, but have been replaced by “ angels”, good people who try to establish justice and peace. Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (Make Me a World 2019)

Pet emezi