They sought out the help of the Assata members to combat the self-proclaimed angels. Bitter realized that something ugly and violent had come out of her, and became afraid it would cause more death.īitter and her friends soon realized that all of their artwork was coming to life. The creature insisted that its name was Vengeance because Bitter had created it hoping to get vengeance on her enemies. She channeled her anger into her artwork, frantically calling her giant creature off the page and into reality. When Bitter heard the news, she was furious. Aloe encouraged her to embrace hope in order to find courage.ĭuring one of the protests, Bitter's friend Eddie was shot in the face with a rubber bullet. She found herself crying when she started admitting the truth of her past, her broken relationships, and her hopelessness regarding the social justice movement. On their first date, Aloe urged Bitter to be honest and open. When Bitter met the new student, Aloe, her life began to change. She knew what the young rebels, primarily associated with the group Assata, were fighting for, but had no interest in getting involved. From her dorm window, Bitter could see all of the protests happening in the streets below. The only thing she did not like about it was its location in the center of Lucille. She learned to rely upon the school for a sense of peace and grounding. With time, however, the place became her home. The school's headmistress, Miss Virtue, mysteriously found Bitter and invited her to the school.īitter was initially nervous at the new school. Over the years, the worlds and creatures she created became more real to her than her real life.Īfter an altercation with one of her foster families, Bitter decided to start attending Eucalyptus, a boarding school for arts students. When she was young, she realized that she could make her drawings come to life with a few drops of her blood. To ease her sorrows and fears, she began relying on her artwork. For years, she moved from house to house and family to family. The following summary adheres to a linear mode of explanation.Īfter Bitter's parents died, she was put into the foster care system.

The author nuances their linear plot line with frequent flashbacks and expositional asides. Knopf, 2022.Īkwaeke Emezi's novel Bitter is written from the third person point of view and in the past tense. The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Emezi, Akwaeke.

Akwaeke emezi bitter