''Bitter'' is a

young adult novel Young adult fiction (YA) is a category of fiction written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age. While the genre is primarily targeted at adolescents, approximately half of YA readers are adults. The subject matter and genres of YA correlate ...

written by Nigerian writer Akwaeke Emezi and published by

Knopf Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Alfred A. Knopf Sr. and Blanche Knopf in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers in ...

on February 15, 2022. A prequel to Emezi's ''

Pet A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence ...

'', Bitter tells the story of a Black teenage girl living in a city troubled by constant protests and violence.

Background

When Emezi first began writing ''

'' in 2017, they had planned for it to be part of a trilogy but eventually gave up on the idea. For ''Bitter'', Emezi "wanted to write about revolution but community" and how people who might want to help don't necessarily need to be in the forefront.

Reception

'' Kirkus Reviews'' gave the book a starred review, in which they highlight the "timely tension" present in Emezi's writing as the characters must decide "when and how to act in the face of unjustifiable state violence, among other societal atrocities." In addition, the reviewer noted how the various queer characters "receive love and support" from those around them. ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' praised the characters, especially due to having "the agency to define the future for themselves and their city." They also called the main character, Bitter, "all the more memorable for her complexity". Natalie Berglind, who reviewed for ''

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books ''The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books'' is an academic journal established in 1945 by Frances E. Henne (Graduate Library School, University of Chicago).Wedgeworth, Robert. ''World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services''. Ch ...

'', called the novel timely due to "its mostly Black cast and escalating protests against an unjust world." Berglind also noted how it attempts to tackle the subject of using violence as "the means of disrupting long held power dynamics" and how the author does not provide an answer to related questions but instead hopes to provoke "thoughtful discussion." They conclude by saying "the ending is abrupt" but "offers tempered optimism to the teen who ..feels immense frustration with a world unconcerned about their future."

References

{{Akwaeke Emezi 2020s LGBT novels 2022 Nigerian novels 2022 children's books Alfred A. Knopf books LGBT-related young adult novels Nigerian English-language novels Nigerian LGBT novels Novels by Akwaeke Emezi Novels with transgender themes