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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-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
A solid spooky read with some powerful metaphors
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Handmaid’s Tale meets Fantasy & Horror
Wie weit würdest du als Mutter gehen, um dein Kind zu retten?
In Sunyi Deans „The Book Eaters“ geht es um Devon, eine Buchfresserin in einer patriarchalen Gesellschaft. In dieser Welt wird Hunger und Wissen durch das Essen von Büchern gestillt – manche Wesen stillen ihren Hunger sogar mit menschlichen Gedanken.
Die Protagonistin Devon entwickelt sich in dieser Welt von einer unterdrückten Frau zu einer Kämpferin, die sich entschlossen gegen das System auflehnt, um ihren Sohn zu schützen, und überschreitet dabei moralische Grenzen. Das Buch thematisiert beeindruckend Mutterschaft, Moral, Trauma, Geschlechterrollen und Macht. Der Text schildert schonungslos Grenzüberschreitungen und wirkt deshalb fordernd oder auch überfordernd. Aus diesem Grund ist dieser Roman möglicherweise nicht für alle Leser*innen geeignet.
Das Buch erinnert stark an Margaret Atwoods „The Handmaid’s Tale“ aufgrund seiner starken Kritik an patriarchalen Gesellschaften, die Frauen unterdrücken und ihre Reproduktionsrechte kontrollieren. Die verzweifelte Suche nach Freiheit und die Rolle der Mutterschaft sind in beiden Büchern zentrale Themen.
Fazit: „The Book Eaters“ ist ein mutiges und originelles Debüt, welches zum Nachdenken anregt, aufwühlt und lange nach dem Lesen im Gedächtnis bleibt – ob gut oder schlecht.
Wie weit würdest du als Mutter gehen, um dein Kind zu retten?
In Sunyi Deans „The Book Eaters“ geht es um Devon, eine Buchfresserin in einer patriarchalen Gesellschaft. In dieser Welt wird Hunger und Wissen durch das Essen von Büchern gestillt – manche Wesen stillen ihren Hunger sogar mit menschlichen Gedanken.
Die Protagonistin Devon entwickelt sich in dieser Welt von einer unterdrückten Frau zu einer Kämpferin, die sich entschlossen gegen das System auflehnt, um ihren Sohn zu schützen, und überschreitet dabei moralische Grenzen. Das Buch thematisiert beeindruckend Mutterschaft, Moral, Trauma, Geschlechterrollen und Macht. Der Text schildert schonungslos Grenzüberschreitungen und wirkt deshalb fordernd oder auch überfordernd. Aus diesem Grund ist dieser Roman möglicherweise nicht für alle Leser*innen geeignet.
Das Buch erinnert stark an Margaret Atwoods „The Handmaid’s Tale“ aufgrund seiner starken Kritik an patriarchalen Gesellschaften, die Frauen unterdrücken und ihre Reproduktionsrechte kontrollieren. Die verzweifelte Suche nach Freiheit und die Rolle der Mutterschaft sind in beiden Büchern zentrale Themen.
Fazit: „The Book Eaters“ ist ein mutiges und originelles Debüt, welches zum Nachdenken anregt, aufwühlt und lange nach dem Lesen im Gedächtnis bleibt – ob gut oder schlecht.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A beautiful story about family and the lengths we go to for those we love.
Set both over a few days and two decades we experience the oppressive fairy tale Devon is living as a rare Bookeater women.
At times the story slowed or got a bit repetitive but followed the rhythm of Devon’s existence making the characters journey of discovery and survival more potent. I look forward to reading what else this author produces.
Set both over a few days and two decades we experience the oppressive fairy tale Devon is living as a rare Bookeater women.
At times the story slowed or got a bit repetitive but followed the rhythm of Devon’s existence making the characters journey of discovery and survival more potent. I look forward to reading what else this author produces.
Honestly it took me a while to get into this book (partially due to a reading slump), but once I did I really enjoyed this book. I loved Devon and her unwavering love for her son. She never once waived from wanting a better life from herself and her children. I really loved seeing a strong powerful mother at the center of this story.
I really wanted to enjoy this; horror-fantasy with a sapphic side story written by a queer, neurodivergent author? I was intrigued. But ultimately… I was really bummed by most of it. I wish the author had engaged in more detailed world-building because honestly with how it was written it felt almost childish. I wanted to know the logistics of book eaters, the history, how they managed to exist in the modern world (being that they literally cannot write or type)… like, what’s the deal with banking? They’ve all got a hell of a lot of money for each of the families to be living in manors? You’re telling me they can’t cut checks to pay people? The Family faces all of these challenges and yet they’re conveniently swept under the rug in ways that feel just totally implausible. Yes, they have income sources mentioned in the book but give me details! Some of those “businesses” were a stretch. Also I love how the Bad family members were human traffickers???? Like?? Please. Not to mention the rushed romantic subplot and the random origin story of book eaters (they’re descended from aliens??) all just felt very careless to me. I think what ultimately was the crux of my issue with this book is that there were too many ~things~ happening at once such that it was impossible to flesh any of it out in a way that did the ideas behind writing the book in the first place… justice. Wouldn’t recommend.
Not bad, just not the book for me.
Pros:
- Good writing
- Good pacing
- Enough detail to make the world feel believable
- Hints of diversity (asexual characters and some queer women)
Cons:
- Hinges on motherhood as a motivation (not a storyline that works for me personally)
- The characters were more plot-driven than developed
- Not enough of the bits I was interested in (the world and the book eaters)
- Strangely jarring American English here and there
Somewhat reminiscent of The Binding by Bridget Collins; similarly lacking in focus on the world, characters taking precedence over a really intriguing premise.
I think this will be a real winner for some people, and I was impressed by the concept, but for the reasons above, it’s not for me.
Pros:
- Good writing
- Good pacing
- Enough detail to make the world feel believable
- Hints of diversity (asexual characters and some queer women)
Cons:
- Hinges on motherhood as a motivation (not a storyline that works for me personally)
- The characters were more plot-driven than developed
- Not enough of the bits I was interested in (the world and the book eaters)
- Strangely jarring American English here and there
Somewhat reminiscent of The Binding by Bridget Collins; similarly lacking in focus on the world, characters taking precedence over a really intriguing premise.
I think this will be a real winner for some people, and I was impressed by the concept, but for the reasons above, it’s not for me.
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes