Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

136 reviews

arialien's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Abandonment

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

queenneehola's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence and Rape

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Torture, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

mrsbuck's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

bookish_redpanda15's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Sexual violence and Pregnancy

troubleintandem's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol

sinead_price's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

Adventurous and refreshingly original. I loved the concept of book eaters/mind eaters and the tropes of fairy tales that were re-worked to challenge what fairytales teach us to be true. The protagonist of this story must learn to see beyond a certain way of living and to dream beyond the narrow walls of the life she has been given. An imaginative story that will leave you wondering what the characters are up to now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Blood

saracat's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I listened to the audiobook, so before I get into the book review itself, I want to say it was a delightful surprise to learn that both the author and narrator are neurodivergent and hearing them chat together at the end was really nice. This is the first book I’ve listened to that had a chat between narrator and author and now wish more of the books I listened to had this. 

Now to the review. I became so invested in the main characters. And the world Dean created felt so fresh and unique to me. While I never quite got my head around understanding the knights and dragons completely, it doesn’t really bother me. 

I love characters and books that are riddled with morally grey - which this book is full of. Though, the farther I got into the book, the more I hesitated to keep picking it up because after everything the characters had been through I wanted them to at least have ‘better’ and I just couldn’t get a sense if Dean had written a book that would have an ultimately happy ending, tragic ending, something in between, etc. And I didn’t want to reach the end. But I finally did, and I think the ending fits everything that proceeds it in the book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Murder, and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Gore, Rape, Kidnapping, and Acephobia/Arophobia

hazel_oat's review against another edition

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Kidnapping, and Alcohol

Minor: Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

kmsander4's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

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

2.25

The last 75 or so pages of this one contains some pretty great action that's quick and easy to readthrough, but I found the lead up to be a real slog in many places.

It's a weird and interesting concept, and dark in so many ways, but I just don't think I'd pick it up again if given the choice. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

musicalpopcorn's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Devon will do anything to save her son, even if it means facing both of their monstrous personas. 

This book was quite gripping and action packed. The characters were gritty and unapologetically imperfect. I appreciated it as a stark metaphor for patriarchy and what breaking a patriarchal society would entail. 

Quite enjoyable! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia