Pet

By: Akwaeke Emezi

Narrated by: Christopher Myers

National Book Award Finalist

Stonewall Book Award Winner

"[A] beautiful, genre-expanding debut...Pet is a nesting doll of creative possibilities." (The New York Times)

The award-winning, genre-defying novel by the New York Times best-selling author of The Death of Vivek Oji that explores themes of identity and justice and asks: How do you share the truth when the world around you is in denial?

Pet is here to hunt a monster. Are you brave enough to look?

There are no monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with the lesson that the city is safe for everyone. But when Jam meets Pet, a creature who some might call monstrous but, in reality, is anything but, she must reconsider what she's been told. Pet has emerged from one of her mother's paintings to hunt a true monster - and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption's house. No one has encountered monsters in years, though, and Jam's quest to protect her best friend and uncover the truth is met with doubt and disbelief.

This award-winning novel from a rising-star author asks: What really makes a monster, and how do you save the world from something if no one will admit it exists?

Stonewall Honor Book

Walter Dean Myers Honor Book

"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)

Critic reviews

“A unique science fiction tale.” –Essence

"Brilliant." –The Washington Post

"With great tenderness, Pet questions a society silenced by denial." –Observer

“By far the most striking of the [National Book Award] finalists is PET, a sinister morality tale by Akwaeke Emezi.” –The Wall Street Journal

“A riveting and timely work answering the questions about how you go about the world when the world around you is in denial.” –Out Magazine

"This soaring novel shoots for the stars and explodes the sky with its bold brilliance." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"A compelling, nuanced tale that fans of speculative horror will quickly devour." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A riveting and important read that couldn’t be more well timed to our society’s struggles with its own monsters." —School Library Journal, Starred Review

“Jam is also notable as a Black, trans protagonist in this important narrative that teens will want to read to gain some perspective on the modern political environment.” —The Bulletin, Starred Review

"Emezi’s characters are diverse in race, physical ability and especially gender.... Readers might see in Jam’s surroundings a version of a world that they, like Jam, might choose to fight for." —BookPage, Starred Review

“A haunting and poetic work of speculative fiction.” —The Horn Book

overall good

a nice flow to the story, but at the end, left it feeling anticlimactic for the characters. there was resolution, but after all the build up, felt a little rushed. I would recommend it as a decent lite read though.

Spectacularly memorable!

This book will stick with me for a long time. The writing is gorgeous. The characters are vibrant and absolutely brimming with life. The diversity made me cry. It's moving in all the right ways. The message is powerful and delivered with a feather light touch. I'm recommending this book to everyone!

Beautiful and powerful story

It’s about Love. Love if family and friends who are like family. And love of community. It’s about angels who look like monsters and monsters who look like angels. It’s a challenge to and for restorative Justice. It’s a fantasy about what our world could look like.

Review of Pet

I loved this book. I listened to it in the car when I was driving long distances and it helped a lot to take my mind off of the drive. It wasn’t just a careless fun read though. It feels really meaningful and I’m glad I read it. The mystery of the story was really interesting and I love how Pet and Jam balanced each other out with her humanity and it’s righteousness and wisdom. It really makes you think also. Plus I really like all the characters! Overall this is an amazing book and I would recommend it to anyone.

Excellent storytelling and wonderful reading.

Pet has excellent storytelling and wonderful reading. I would definitely listen to this again and recommend this story to others.