Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

48 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

vivivi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I appreciate the feminist themes woven into the story. It hits a few points that made me stop and think! 
There is such a strong portrayal of motherly love and questions of what makes you who you are. The bond between Dev and Cai is very dear. Ultimately, this book is about the bond between mother and child and the lengths someone would go to protect their family. I wasn't expecting the book to weigh so heavily into that theme, but it's a pleasant surprise. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Slavery

Minor: Sexual violence

meggles801's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The story was very unique and I enjoyed it a lot. There were some overly sensitive parts I could have gone without however. Just a bit too heavy at times for me, and I don't think the story really needed those topics. 
*Check your TW*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Violence

chrysanthxmum's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Sexism, and Alcohol

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Violence

hollyd19's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

2.5

I wanted to like this more than I did. It’s more of a horror than I anticipated, and the premise of “book eaters” isn’t nearly as robustly explored as I’d hoped. I was intrigued by the setup, but found the delivery weak. There is far more emphasis on the variant of “mind eaters,” leaving the core world-building concept underdeveloped. I also found the ending abrupt and somewhat unsatisfying. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol

Minor: Cannibalism

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

msgslibrary's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

This book was a marvelous piece of writing, able to carry a story in a non-linear style chapter by chapter to slowly peel back the layers of the main character's life. I was worried I wouldn't like it at first because the opening chapter makes it seem like the main character's primary personality trait is being an alcoholic, but that thankfully isn't focused on with the same intensity for the rest of the book. If that's of concern, get past the first chapter and the story will get better from there. The worldbuilding that Dean is able to weave throughout the story is masterful, even though there are holes. In fact, the holes that are left make it all the more interesting. Our own history as a species is full of mystery and unanswered questions the further back in time we try to study, and the Book Eaters of this book are no different. This, paired with the rigidity of the social structures the Book Eaters live under, makes for a wholly enjoyable read with enough lore to not get bogged down. And if you love a feral woman/lesbian main character, Devon, this book's lead, is for you! There is also an underlying metaphor of disability rights and how to navigate the world as an autistic/neurodivergent person, at least through my reading, that Dean works in so subtly and fluidly that is moves but doesn't overstate itself. Wile extremely gory and dark at points, by the end this book was a breath of fresh air for a sci-fi/fantasy lover like me who loves seeing unique ideas in the genre executed well!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

happy ending

shannshnan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Kind of a slow start as you get through the exposition but overall a great book with a driving plot 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, and Pregnancy

akruti's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I would have loved to give this book five stars but something about the world building felt lacking. Other than that I absolutely enjoyed the book from start to finish and it left me wanting more. The concept is so unique and the dilemma felt by the character was written beautifully. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship

midnightgremlin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Violence

Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Pregnancy