A review by wanderonwards
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. 
 
The Book Eaters is a unique thrill of a book where every character is a monster in their own way. I frequently found myself alternating between rooting for and against characters as their backstory and motivations gradually became more known. I don’t generally flip between liking and disliking characters so much, and to be able to pull that off with multiple characters is very difficult. 
 
To be honest, though, I think other readers will enjoy this book more than I did. It was much darker than I anticipated (the depictions of violence were borderline too graphic for me) and I got more horror vibes than fantasy. I was also hoping for more smashing of the restrictive and abusive systems Devon grew up with: I didn’t really enjoy reading about the patriarchal Family societies and was waiting for some sense of satisfaction by the end of the book. While the ending was somewhat resolved, there are plenty of issues that are left open. 
 
While this wasn’t really the book for me, I know plenty of other readers who will enjoy it. Thank you again to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the opportunity of reviewing an ARC. 
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