Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

132 reviews

baddieburton's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Vomit, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Murder

Minor: Car accident

trashbadger's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-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

3.75

The premise is really interesting, and I would have liked to know more about the world - there is an implied history to the Families that isn't fully revealed, and the inter-Family relations are both key to the plot and not elaborated on much. It's not really the focus of the book, but I think it would have added something.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Confinement, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse

booksjessreads's review against another edition

This book just really disappointed me and I realised I didn't really care what happened to the end. I didn't feel invested in the characters and I felt the layout didn't really work. The chapters about Devon's younger life were insightful, but as I got through the book they felt so unnecessary. Also, the writing did not flow that well and I found it difficult to stay engaged. 

I think the book offers a really interesting premise but it just wasn't convincingly carried off for me. I am sure this will be enjoyable to others though.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Pregnancy, and Misogyny

Moderate: Cannibalism and Rape

sharron_joy_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Devon is a book eater, vampire like creatures who consume books instead of food. Growing up she is fed a steady controlled diet of what is expected of her as one of the rare female book eater. There are six families and their numbers are dwindling and she is needed to breed.

When she gives birth to Cai, a rare mind eater she runs with him to save him.

 

This is a gothic thriller in essence and although I was initially drawn to the book eating side the story is really about family, loyalty, forced marriage and motherhood in a strictly patriarchal cult like community who just happen to eat books. 

It is thought provoking but the way women and girls are treated in this world infuriated me and although Devon fights against the system her efforts are often in vain. 

 

It is an interesting story but for me it was too long and the ending felt rushed.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Child abuse, Grief, and Body horror

touchegiantsquid's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Brilliantly forces the reader to confront the truth that everything actually does have a price, that perfect is unobtainable, and that living in the real world requires accepting tradeoffs. Even though the main character repeatedly says there's no price on love, the plot reveals there is nothing without a price.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Gun violence, Acephobia/Arophobia, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Trafficking

kurumipanda's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, and Sexism

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Rape, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Medical content

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, and Suicidal thoughts

briely's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death, Body horror, Pregnancy, and Violence

Minor: Trafficking, Murder, and Child death

quihi's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

I really enjoyed it once I got into it. Unfortunately, it took me two thirds of the book to get really into it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Cannibalism, Confinement, Grief, Body horror, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Abandonment, Misogyny, Child death, Gore, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Pregnancy, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcohol, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, and Acephobia/Arophobia

ashwaar's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.5

Living secretly within British society are the book eaters, ancient families that survive on literature to sustain and give them knowledge. Devon is part of one of these families, and as a rare girl, her future is carefully negotiated to ensure she produces heirs for their dwindling population. But when she gives birth to a mind-eater, a being who craves and survives on human minds rather than books, Devon must escape from the families to save her son.

A lot is happening in this book, and the story only becomes more intense, gritty and grotesque as it continues. It comes with all sorts of trigger warnings, so be sure to check those out if you’re unsure! But overall, I thought this was a pretty interesting premise, if a little contrived. It sounds a little like an idea I’d think up in my English class at secondary school, but it’s also pretty cool to see someone write it in an actual book.

The story is complex and compelling, jumping between present-day on-the-run Devon and her past, growing up within the families. There is a lot of legacy and lore in the book, and I think the author does well blending it all with the current narrative. You learn more alongside younger Devon, and as a reader, I felt very comfortable with this pacing.

At the same time as I found this book interesting and engaging, I also found it pretty tough to read at points. Because every character does terrible gruesome things, I found it hard to have sympathy or find a connection with any of them. I also found the setting a bit weird, and juxtaposing these mysterious families with the average UK life didn’t feel right. Maybe it would have felt more fitting in its own world, but I know that’s even more lore and background to commit to. It’s not a big complaint for me, and I got used to it as the story went on.

Overall, this was a pretty solid book, just not completely my cup of tea. It’s very plot-heavy, and I’m more of a character-and-vibes reader. I also thought it was very gory, and although I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, it doesn’t make it very enjoyable to read at points. It’s one of those books where I think you’ll be able to tell from a review if you’ll like it or not, and hopefully, I’ve been able to help you out a little bit.

Read more on Wordpress at Bookmarked by Ash: https://book990337086.wordpress.com/

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Pregnancy, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Infertility, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Death, Drug use, Murder, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Alcoholism, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Alcohol, and Child death

Minor: Vomit

unviincible's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

4.0

For here was the thing that no fairy tale would ever admit, but that she understood in that moment: love was not inherently good. Certainly, it could inspire goodness. She didn’t argue that. Poets would tell you that love was electricity in your veins that could light a room. That it was a river in your soul to lift you up and carry you away, or a fire inside the heart to keep you warm. Yet electricity could also fry, rivers could drown, and fires could burn; love could be destructive. Punishingly, fatally destructive.

a surprisingly heavy book that paints a realistic picture of living within a patriarchy and doesn't flinch away from its themes, which can make it difficult to read at times.  kudos to the author for writing some of the most reprehensible men I've ever read, yeesh 

I like the use of monsters as a vessel to just tell a story about motherhood. sure, you could tell this story without monsters, but they make it fun and scary! this book was hella atmospheric. a little slower than I'd personally like, but overall good

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gore, and Misogyny