Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

103 reviews

slburg's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Domestic abuse

msgslibrary's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was a marvelous piece of writing, able to carry a story in a non-linear style chapter by chapter to slowly peel back the layers of the main character's life. I was worried I wouldn't like it at first because the opening chapter makes it seem like the main character's primary personality trait is being an alcoholic, but that thankfully isn't focused on with the same intensity for the rest of the book. If that's of concern, get past the first chapter and the story will get better from there. The worldbuilding that Dean is able to weave throughout the story is masterful, even though there are holes. In fact, the holes that are left make it all the more interesting. Our own history as a species is full of mystery and unanswered questions the further back in time we try to study, and the Book Eaters of this book are no different. This, paired with the rigidity of the social structures the Book Eaters live under, makes for a wholly enjoyable read with enough lore to not get bogged down. And if you love a feral woman/lesbian main character, Devon, this book's lead, is for you! There is also an underlying metaphor of disability rights and how to navigate the world as an autistic/neurodivergent person, at least through my reading, that Dean works in so subtly and fluidly that is moves but doesn't overstate itself. Wile extremely gory and dark at points, by the end this book was a breath of fresh air for a sci-fi/fantasy lover like me who loves seeing unique ideas in the genre executed well!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Drug use, Violence, Rape, Emotional abuse, Blood, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Cursing, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Vomit, Sexism, Sexual assault, Murder, Cannibalism, Alcoholism, Gore, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Death, Misogyny, and Mental illness

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

happy ending

esme_may's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body horror, Sexism, Alcohol, Gore, Violence, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Blood

Moderate: Physical abuse, Infertility, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Child abuse, Acephobia/Arophobia, Gun violence, and Rape

Minor: Trafficking, Homophobia, and Incest

shannshnan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Kind of a slow start as you get through the exposition but overall a great book with a driving plot 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Cannibalism, Body horror, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Death, Pregnancy, Gore, Grief, Murder, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

arejaytay's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Gore, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Misogyny

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture

booknerd_therapist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Cannibalism, Misogyny, Murder, Body horror, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol

Minor: Pregnancy and Suicidal thoughts

melissaslibraryy's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is a new concept of vampires (as per the author in an interview) and the thought of  a new take on vampire book eaters was so interesting to me and throughout the book I loved the story. The complex relationship of mother and son and how far a mothers love can go to save her child regardless of the consequences.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Sexual violence, Classism, Confinement, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Blood, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Addiction, Misogyny, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Sexism

tinyjude's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Very intriguing concept and development. I liked how it perfectly encapsulated the patriarchal, oppressive and cruel world created by the Families and the damage they create to all those poor little girls by just feeding them fairy tales and not preparing them for what's to come. I liked Devon's fierce personality and the characters' grey morality portrayed through the things she is forced to do for Cai and what Cai has to suffer too. I liked that it was sapphic and we also got a tiny bit of asexual representation and some decent men amongst monsters. It is true that the ending and love plot felt rushed but I liked the approach and the points the author wanted to criticize and how they were addressed in the book unequivocally. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Cannibalism, Drug use, Incest, Alcoholism, Infertility, Kidnapping, Child abuse, and Body horror

cakrolik's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Murder, Sexism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Gore, and Rape

Moderate: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

astralfeline's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book has really captured my attention from the first time I heard a synopsis of it. I love how unique this concept is (at least to me) and the sort of "dystopian" feel to it. There are so many layers to this book, different themes or metaphors that stand out to me. I also listened to the audiobook version while following along in the ebook and loved the narrator's accent. I can tell there was just so much time, effort, and intention behind this story and it really delivered. I feel like I'll be thinking about this book for the rest of my life. I also have to add that I enjoyed the casual inclusion of LGBT characters, where their identity wasn't their whole characterization and the plot very much had it's own leg to stand on. Not that I dislike books where the whole plot is about the characters being LGBT, but I feel like the characters and their place in the story were very well done and not overly "shown off," but also wasn't just mentioned once and not really mentioned ever again. You know? 

Anyway, definitely recommend this book to literally anyone. Very intriguing concept, great characters, and the plot is very well written. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Body horror

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Gaslighting