Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Woman, Eating

I picked this up as part of a Patreon book club pick.
“Woman, Eating” follows Lydia, a young, mixed-race woman who is struggling to find her place in the world, mostly because she is a vampire. She has a complicated relationship with her mother and she cannot maintain any other relationships for fear of revealing herself as a vampire.
This novel explores the plight of vampires in a new way, and I really enjoyed that. Being a vampire is not all fun and games and it is certainly not easy, especially when you are the only vampire you know. Lydia struggles to find blood in these modern times without raising suspicions, and that means she is always hungry. She cannot maintain friendships because she does not age, so it would raise too many suspicions. Her mother is in a home because she is not doing well, and her mother is the only vampire she really knows. Lydia is alone in the world literally trying to figure out how to survive. I feel like most vampire stories I have consumed do not highlight this side of the struggles of being a vampire, which made this novel feel fresh.
I heard another reviewer mention how it was interesting to see how food played a role in this novel, and I whole-heartedly agree. Food is typically a big part of culture, and for Lydia, she cannot connect with her Korean heritage because she cannot eat the food. She spends a lot of time online watching eating videos to feel a deeper connection. Not only does she feel alone because she is a vampire, she feels alone because she cannot connect with her culture.
My biggest critique of this novel is that it is dull. I think it has a clear voice and some great themes, but I did not find the story itself super engaging.

Content Warnings

sydneybedell's review against another edition

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dark reflective 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

3.0

Content Warnings

netthauser's review against another edition

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dark reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

cee_ceon's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book! I really enjoy the non stereotypical vampire content and alternative stories and mechanics. I'm a big Buffy fan so was super fun that Lydia also watches the show! Although being about a vampire; this book was real and I could relate to multiple different events/themes. Very well done and I will be instant buying whenever Claire Kohda publishes again

Content Warnings

stevie's review against another edition

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dark reflective slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

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