Reviews

I went into The Book Eaters completely blind. I really wasn't sure what to expect, other than the fact that it was a well-read book from 2023. I found the setup unique. Among every day existence that we know, there exists a group known as Book Eaters. The Book Eaters' world has a very dystopian vibe, similar to the world of Offred in The Handmaid's Tale.

This book is Devon Fairweather's tale of trying to survive with her son in this world. I found it heartbreaking, often fascinating, and even disturbing at times. At the heart of the story is a mother's love and the absolute lengths she will go to for her children. As a mother myself, I was very drawn to Devon's character. Her son, Cai, is wise beyond his five years and tugs at a mother's heartstrings.

My only complaint is that the book ended very abruptly. I wanted to see just a little further past the ending. It felt incomplete without a wrap-up of sorts. I guess, given the dystopian nature, this was intended. This is the only reason I'm giving The Book Eaters four stars instead of five. All in all, it was an incredible book that I hated to see end.

b00kh0arder's review against another edition

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4.0

Once upon a time, there was a Princess who gave birth to monster, who everyone feared. But the Princess loved her monstrous offspring and would do anything to protect it, even become a monster herself.
The Book Eaters is, I feel, best summed up by Olivie Blake's cover quote: a "gritty, gothic anti-fairytale" that's perfect for the Halloween/Autumn/Winter season!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for review.

lakeofstars's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No

2.5

when reading, i wished it was shorter because of how bored i was growing with the story. after reading, i wish it was longer- but specifically to weave in more (especially positive) interactions between the characters that would have made me more invested in the plot. the writing itself was... fine? it had moments of greatness and moments of weakness.

i loved the premise of book and mind eaters, and found the explanation of the mythos and pseudoscience of it all to be the most interesting parts of the story. however, it strangely felt irrelevant at times? excluding the mind eaters and their need to feed, sometimes it felt like you could have taken out the book eating and replaced it with a different, not anatomically unique, isolated society and the story would not have changed much at all.

a perfect 50/50 rating because i quite enjoyed the worldbuilding and definitely sensed the potential of everything else pulsating under the surface, but overall this book fell flat for me in the rest of its execution. i also have seen other readers bring up some problematic aspects of the themes regarding disability in this book, which i find troubling.

ellanturns's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ashleygz's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

charloreadsbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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