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A review by shinyfluffdnd
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
5.0
** spoiler alert ** this book ended up being very good, with truly chilling moments.
the discussion about anti-Asian hate, systemic police indifference and the fear the characters feel as they are accosted, harassed, & murdered by white men given cover by the pandemic was very scary, sad, realistic. it happened that way, I remember. I also liked that in the author acknowledgements she ties all struggles of BIPOC under white supremacy together as one evil to be fought together.
also the discussion about being raised in a white environment left her without the tools she needed to fight the Chinese culture specific Hungry Ghosts
I struggled with the narrator She honestly came across more like a 14 yr old girl than a 24 yr old woman. Plus the way her friends had such more tragic backstories that she didn't even care about til way later because she was so intent on focusing on her own sad thoughts. but the story and writing are so good. when all the ghost stuff started popping off, so the book got better from there.
I like a book that felt like the claustrophobia and fear of the beginning of the covid pandemic in 2020. it was really well done.
SPOILERS
the ghostly parts were legit scary and I loved that others could see the ghosts as well because at first i thought that Cora herself was going to be revealed as the hungry ghost.
the scene where her Aunt Zeng picks her up at a taco bell covered in lights and even a flashing xmas sweater to deter ghosts was amazing.
the discussion about anti-Asian hate, systemic police indifference and the fear the characters feel as they are accosted, harassed, & murdered by white men given cover by the pandemic was very scary, sad, realistic. it happened that way, I remember. I also liked that in the author acknowledgements she ties all struggles of BIPOC under white supremacy together as one evil to be fought together.
also the discussion about being raised in a white environment left her without the tools she needed to fight the Chinese culture specific Hungry Ghosts
I struggled with the narrator She honestly came across more like a 14 yr old girl than a 24 yr old woman. Plus the way her friends had such more tragic backstories that she didn't even care about til way later because she was so intent on focusing on her own sad thoughts. but the story and writing are so good. when all the ghost stuff started popping off, so the book got better from there.
I like a book that felt like the claustrophobia and fear of the beginning of the covid pandemic in 2020. it was really well done.
the ghostly parts were legit scary and I loved that others could see the ghosts as well because at first i thought that Cora herself was going to be revealed as the hungry ghost.
the scene where her Aunt Zeng picks her up at a taco bell covered in lights and even a flashing xmas sweater to deter ghosts was amazing.