A review by vengefuldime
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

5.0

I loved getting introduced to this world. There are quotes above the starts of chapters in a way that adds to the love of books in what I felt was a realistic manner, reminding me of the feeling of being shaped by reading experiences. The alternating timelines never felt out of place but continued to surprise me- thinking ‘oh that’s how it is… oh that’s actually how it is…’ Genuinely fascinating moral questions, opened early on (I wanted to talk in depth about it 40 pages in), and characters I felt for. The monster family, supporting characters, even Ramsey was not quite charismatic but interesting and sad. The way that the book took on motherhood, patriarchy, domestic violence, queer identity, and other complex topics felt fitting- not trying to do too much at once. The story of an individual woman that has those experiences made the story grounded. I deeply wanted Devon and Cai to find safety (and I really hope Salem too one day).