Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

78 reviews

ohthatcara's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Body horror, and Religious bigotry

imds's review against another edition

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Acephobia/Arophobia, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Xenophobia, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Body horror, Grief, Body shaming, Confinement, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, and Trafficking

caprivoyant's review against another edition

Really liked the world and magic system Sunyi Dean created here. I'd definitely be interested in reading more by this same author. 🥰


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For CWs, I want to also specifically say that forced child abandonment is an integral part of Book Eater culture; so it's mentioned a lot in these pages. Really, a lot of what happens to the women in this culture is really not great. So, just, read with care if those topics might hurt your heart. Ok?

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

Minor: Cannibalism

plumpeony's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Child death, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Trafficking, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death, Blood, Violence, Body horror, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

sav_22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

It’s so hard to sum up my feelings on this book, but man did I love it. If I can compare it to anything, I’d say listening to the song Labour by Paris Paloma would be the closest thing I can think of. That song IS Devon. 
The way Dean writes about motherhood, trauma, and dilemma fascinates me. The concept alone is unlike anything I’ve gotten the chance to read, and I really love how devastatingly bittersweet and complex it is. I’d say that a lot of elements of the world of the book eaters resembles Handmaid’s tale, ifykyk.

This isn’t a book that circles around the sapphic relationship, which some may have critiqued for being a bit of a minor subplot. It is hardly a focus, but I kind of enjoy the way Devon’s sexuality is explored in such a simple and gentle way, contrasting the violence in which her femininity and motherhood is explored. The dynamic between Dev and Cai is tragic and beautiful and horrifying; it really is a story that drives home the absolute carnage that is motherhood. This portrays womanhood by extension as what it can feel like: messy, violent, tragic, and ruthless. Dev loses so much of herself, and her identity was stripped from her so constantly, yet she rises like a merciless phoenix. She is one of the most morally complex characters I’ve read about, and I adored her deeply. <spoiler/> If you want to read a book that is the epitome of female rage, i feel like this is the one for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Sexual violence, Death, Child abuse, Body horror, Violence, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Mental illness, Grief, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Body horror, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts

kshertz's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

It was not for me! I couldn’t get into the world and the eating of brains. I didn’t connect to the characters so I found myself not really caring what happened to them. It took me a long time to push through and finish this book!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

ageckocalledachilles's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Body horror, Torture, Blood, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Sexual violence

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

I’m so fortunate that A) this book exists, B) I added it to my TBR, and C) I got to read it. I don’t even remember how this ended up on my TBR, but I’m glad I did. This story is slow, layered, and beautifully written

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, Grief, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Violence, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Chronic illness, Sexism, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Blood

Moderate: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Cursing, Infertility, Cannibalism, Car accident, Bullying, Pregnancy, Stalking, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Torture, and Body horror

Minor: Incest and Child death

Eugenics

_kathill's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Death, Body horror, Gaslighting, Blood, Domestic abuse, Grief, Violence, Cannibalism, Cursing, Murder, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Trafficking

schausjk's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

4.25

This was mesmerizing. I really appreciated the worldbuilding, and even though I doubt a sequel would be likely, I'm really interested in seeing where these characters would go.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Gore, Trafficking, Death, Body horror, Blood, Child death, and Gun violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Murder, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Grief, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Lesbophobia