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A review by rigbees
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was surprised by this book. To be honest, most books that are about books turn out to be hokey, and I was solidly expecting the Book Eaters to be the same. Instead, I found that this book was a darkly atmospheric with an intersperse timeline that kept me interested. It evokes the feeling of a fairy tale where the main character wakes up and realizes it's a horror story. It deliberately evokes these feelings throughout, with in-text references to "princesses" alongside the terrible treatment the main character receives.
This is a book about control. It eases the reader in, starting with Devon's childhood and slowly ratcheting up around her attempts to escape. Likewise, it tries to peel back questions about the limits of escape. I've heard some other readers of this book find the main character unlikeable, and the book itself calls her a monster at points. However, given the constrained options on the table, when did survival end and monstrosity begin?
I'd give it this a recommendation if you're interested in a book about top-down patriarchal control and brutal motherhood with a dark fairy tale vibe. This book does include forcible separation of mothers and children. I wish I could give it 3.9 stars, since it's not quite a 4 star read to me, but isn't a 3.75 read. However, I'm rounding up.
This is a book about control. It eases the reader in, starting with Devon's childhood and slowly ratcheting up around her attempts to escape. Likewise, it tries to peel back questions about the limits of escape. I've heard some other readers of this book find the main character unlikeable, and the book itself calls her a monster at points. However, given the constrained options on the table, when did survival end and monstrosity begin?
I'd give it this a recommendation if you're interested in a book about top-down patriarchal control and brutal motherhood with a dark fairy tale vibe. This book does include forcible separation of mothers and children. I wish I could give it 3.9 stars, since it's not quite a 4 star read to me, but isn't a 3.75 read. However, I'm rounding up.