Author: Sunyi Dean
Publisher: Tor Books
Released: August 2, 2022
Received: ARC
Warnings: Controlling behavior, stalking

Almost every reader has used the phrase “I devoured this book.” For most, this term means that we loved the book so much that we read it in one (or two) sittings. But The Book Eaters is about to put a whole new spin on that notion.

The Family has always been good at staying out of public sight. Out of sight, out of mind, as the saying goes. They reside on the Yorkshire Moors and are perfectly content living their lives away from the rest of society.

For The Family is a family of book eaters. That is to say, novels are their food source and need no other sustenance. For most book eaters, that is. Some are unlucky enough to be born needing another source of nourishment.

“Maybe, Devon thought, that was the best anybody could hope for in life: to be missed when gone, however one had lived.”

Over the years, I have learned that there are certain tropes and promises that I cannot avoid – because I love them too much. If you promise me a book about books, I will read it—end of story. Enter The Book Eaters, which turns out to be a surprisingly literal title.

Devon is like everyone else in her family (The Family, if we’re being technical). She eats books for sustenance. And that’s arguably not even the strangest thing about her family, though it is pretty close.

It takes a while for the family history to unfold. It takes even longer to understand Devon’s place in this convoluted history or what her current goals are. It made for a twisting story with an urban fantasy setting. Or maybe science fiction? It has strong cosmic horror vibes, even if they are on the milder side of things.

Everything said and done; the character development and mystery kept me invested in The Book Eaters. I was determined to discover what Devon was hiding from everyone (readers included). Likewise, I was interested to see how she changed throughout the story as more of her plan came to light.

I ended up enjoying The Book Eaters. I’m so happy that it came across my plate and that I took the time to read it. If you’re looking for a dark and mysterious yet quick read, let The Book Eaters be your choice.

Thanks to Tor Books for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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