Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
Reviewed by Taylor N.
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi is a young adult novel that follows the adventures of a
young adult named Bitter and her small crew of close friends. Throughout her childhood, she
was swapped between foster homes and was traumatized by each one of them. Now, in her
early adult years, she lives in a School of the Arts called Eucalyptus in a grand city called
Lucille. There, protests are breaking out because of the unfair dictatorship of the billionaire
Theron, who runs the city with his money and influence. The protests are organized and
funded by a group called Assata, which is comprised of other teenagers and young adults.
When the protests start to get violent, Bitter knows she has to do something. Unbeknownst to
her friends, Bitter has a secret power, something only she knows about herself: if she draws
something and puts her blood on it, it comes to life. This is disastrously revealed when Bitter
unintentionally releases an angel into Lucille set on one thing: Vengeance.
This book is chock-full of diversity. From queer characters to POC, there is a lot of
representation in this book. Alongside that, the social issues it touches on are representative
of what many young people today feel strongly about. The novel centers around passing the same battle through generations, which is an issue arising in today’s society. Someone
who would like this book would be interested in social justice, with a hint of fantasy and
adventure. This book reminded me of the WB show Supernatural because of its fast-paced
plot and the biblical references throughout the book. Along with that, there is a lot of
emphasis on unexplainable acts of magic, which again leans into the plot of Supernatural.
The book and plot develop fast, which is my only gripe with the book’s writing. I felt
as though the plot was slightly rushed at times, which left me with questions and a little
confusion. That being said, the speed at which the plot was happening made this book a very
fast read. This is a good book if you are craving something short and inspiring. The side
characters also felt a little flat to me: we (as readers) didn’t know much about their
backstories or their lives, so it was hard to relate to them on a personal level. In contrast,
Bitter was developed well. Not only was there insight into why she acts how she does, but
there are stories and memories written from her childhood. That made it easier to feel
connected to her and made me enjoy the book more. Along with the characters, the setting of
Lucille was fairly decent. While there were no blueprints laid out on the page, there were
adequate descriptions of what the city looked like. At times, it was hard for me to understand
and visualize the settings, but it wasn’t detrimental to my enjoyment of the book.
Overall, I would recommend this short YA novel to people looking for a quick
adventure. I thought the writing style was pleasant, although lacking at times. This book was
pretty good, and I think people from all walks of life will be able to find something they like
about it. Through the diverse cast and relevant social issues, Bitter is definitely a book you
should consider putting on your need-to-read list!