Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

24 reviews

tkat211's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

"If we grow up thinking that we're princesses and someone else will rescue us, then we spend our lives waiting for that rescue and never trying to escape ourselves."

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Minor: Slavery, Vomit, Trafficking, and Fire/Fire injury

lahars_little_library's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

4.0

This book is disturbing but really makes you think. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Death of parent, and Murder

grassygale's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious

4.5

Very cool vampirific type of story. Might be difficult for some readers. I think if I had read this (instead of the audiobook), I would probably classify it more as a horror book, and probably would have had a more difficult time with different scenes. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Infertility, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

esme_may's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Homophobia, Incest, and Trafficking

cakrolik's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Trafficking

seagullsaga's review against another edition

dark hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

rinne_reads94's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

3.75 ⭐️
I liked and enjoyed this book, HOWEVER the last 30% of the book feels like you're reading an 800 page novel. 

This was out of my comfort zone and I am happy I read it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

isaaah's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Slavery, and Grief

Minor: Infertility, Rape, Sexual content, Vomit, Trafficking, Acephobia/Arophobia, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

sav_22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

It’s so hard to sum up my feelings on this book, but man did I love it. If I can compare it to anything, I’d say listening to the song Labour by Paris Paloma would be the closest thing I can think of. That song IS Devon. 
The way Dean writes about motherhood, trauma, and dilemma fascinates me. The concept alone is unlike anything I’ve gotten the chance to read, and I really love how devastatingly bittersweet and complex it is. I’d say that a lot of elements of the world of the book eaters resembles Handmaid’s tale, ifykyk.

This isn’t a book that circles around the sapphic relationship, which some may have critiqued for being a bit of a minor subplot. It is hardly a focus, but I kind of enjoy the way Devon’s sexuality is explored in such a simple and gentle way, contrasting the violence in which her femininity and motherhood is explored. The dynamic between Dev and Cai is tragic and beautiful and horrifying; it really is a story that drives home the absolute carnage that is motherhood. This portrays womanhood by extension as what it can feel like: messy, violent, tragic, and ruthless. Dev loses so much of herself, and her identity was stripped from her so constantly, yet she rises like a merciless phoenix. She is one of the most morally complex characters I’ve read about, and I adored her deeply. <spoiler/> If you want to read a book that is the epitome of female rage, i feel like this is the one for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Alcohol

kshertz's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

It was not for me! I couldn’t get into the world and the eating of brains. I didn’t connect to the characters so I found myself not really caring what happened to them. It took me a long time to push through and finish this book!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail