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The Book Eaters

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The Book Eaters

By: Sunyi Dean
Narrated by: Katie Erich
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About this listen

THE NO. 2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

‘I devoured this’ V.E. Schwab

‘A vampire-themed Handmaid’s Tale, with effective thrills that are intensified by social commentary’ Guardian

A gorgeous new fantasy horror – a book about stories and fairy tales with family and love at its dark heart…

Hidden across England and Scotland live six old Book Eater families.

The last of their lines, they exist on the fringes of society and subsist on a diet of stories and legends.

Children are rare and their numbers have dwindled, so when Devon Fairweather’s second child is born a dreaded Mind Eater – a perversion of her own kind, who consumes not stories but the minds and souls of humans – she flees before he can be turned into a weapon for the family… or worse.

Living among humans and finding prey for her son, Devon seeks a cure for his hunger. But time is running out – for her family want her back, and with every soul her son consumes he loses a little more of himself…

This is a story of escape, a mother’s savage devotion and a queer love that will electrify readers looking for something beguiling, thrilling, strange and new.

Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Susanna Clarke, and Let the Right One In

©2022 Sunyi Dean (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers Limited Dark Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Heartfelt

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Critic reviews

"Some novels are intended to be devoured in one sitting. Such is the case with Sunyi Dean’s The Book Eaters. Innovative, unique, poignant and told with a voice as original as the story itself. I finished this novel in that one sitting, yet I’ll be pondering it for a long time to come. This is the debut of a new master of the modern fantasy. Don’t miss it." (James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestseller of The Starless Crown)

"Raw and imaginative, this gritty, gothic anti-fairytale knows the truth: love will make a villain out of anyone." (Olivie Blake, author of The Atlas Six)

"Sunyi Dean’s The Book Eaters is a darkly sweet pastry of a book about family, betrayal and the lengths we go to for the ones we love. Great reading for a rainy morning, with tea or coffee on, a cat in your lap, and nowhere to be but lost in a delicious modern fairy tale." (Christopher Buehlman, author of The Blacktongue Thief)
All stars
Most relevant  
Often not an easy read, but certainly a good one. A grisly tale of repression and violence, and redemption (indeed, in many ways)

Grisly and Great

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Devon is a book eater, vampire like creatures who consume books instead of food. Growing up she is fed a steady controlled diet of what is expected of her as one of the rare female book eater. There are six families and their numbers are dwindling and she is needed to breed.
When she gives birth to Cai, a rare mind eater she runs with him to save him.

This is a gothic thriller in essence and although I was initially drawn to the book eating side the story is really about family, loyalty, forced marriage and motherhood in a strictly patriarchal cult like community who just happen to eat books.

It is thought provoking but the way women and girls are treated in this world infuriated me and although Devon fights against the system her efforts are often in vain.

It is an interesting story but for me it was too long and the ending felt rushed.

Thought provoking gothic thriller

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I couldn’t deal with the mispronunciation of words in this audio: coup (Ku) as coop was a regular annoyance alongside many others. Place names like Alnwick were mangled. It really put me off the story which was a shame as it was quite good.

Great story, poor pronunciation.

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Despite not personally enjoying the narration of this book I really enjoyed the writing.

I loved the literalism of being a voracious reader.

Edit - months and months after leaving this review I have come back to add this book as stayed with me and I keep checking to see if the author has released anything else . I recommended to my partner who also found it compelling.



Really enjoyably melancholy

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It was so much more than I thought it would and the reader did an excellent job. simply amazing book with amazing ideas and I need more.

Amazing

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I was not expecting this book to be so queer!! We love to see asexual representation, I genuinely think this is the first book I've read with an asexual character. And the main characters being lesbians! Love! Had a little heart attack at the end when I though Hester died but thank god she didn't. I know this book only came out last year but I need more in this universe because I have so many questions about book eaters lol. Overall this book was good and the narration on audible was amazing!

3.5/5

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But the audio book made the story come alive. So glad I didn't DNF the book.
Enjoyed it so much.

Hated reading the book

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Didn’t hate it. Didn’t love it. The book eating element could have been interesting but I dare anyone to give me plot point where book eating is integral and interesting when moving the plot forward.

Take the book eating out of this novel and not much really changes.

Interesting concept not well executed

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