A review by carolsnotebook
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker

challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 
I can’t tell you why I picked up Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng. I don’t read a lot of horror, I avoid serial killers, and I haven’t been reading many pandemic books. But it was fabulous, in a gory, violent, haunting way.

It’s Summer, 2020 in New York City. In the opening scene, 24-year-old Cora Zeng and her sister Delilah are waiting for the subway when a man appears just as the train approaches. He calls Delilah a “bat eater” and pushes her onto the tracks. She is killed by the train and the man is never caught. resulting in her brutal death before Cora’s eyes. Unfortunately, the man escapes. The second chapter picks up a few months later. Cora is now working as a crime scene cleaner, a job that fits Cora and her need for cleanliness well, but a disturbing number of the jobs have been cleaning the apartments of murdered Asian women. It’s also Ghost Month, which Cora dismisses – until her sister’s ghost shows up at her apartment.

Cora is an amazing character. Life has handed her a lot and she keeps going as best she can. Her friendship with the other two members of the cleaning crew feels realistic even if they are an odd bunch. I love that they accept her despite her quirks and believe her. They make quite a team.

Bat Eater is clearly horror and a serial killer book, so avoid it if blood and guts bother you. But it also touches on so many societal issues – fetishization of Asian women, systemic racism, hate crimes, police brutality, and media manipulation. It does an amazing job of getting its points across without preaching. It’s terrifying and thought-provoking and a reminder that the true monsters are almost always people. We need to do better.

I listened to the audio and the narrator did an amazing job. She brought the story and characters to life, getting across the fear and the moments of humor without being melodramatic. 

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