Sunyi Dean introduces us to a new mythology in her novel, “The Book Eaters.
Devon is a book eater. Her sustenance comes from the actual mastication of the written word. Where these creatures came from is a mystery, but nevertheless a few families of them are scattered across the UK. Occasionally a book eater offspring is born a mind eater: a creature who can suck out a person’s memory and knowledge, leaving the body an empty husk.
When Devon gives birth to a mind eater, the result of a family-arranged coupling, she must decide what she values more: the life she was raised in or the life of her son. What is the cost of love?
The world-building and mythos that Dean has created in this novel are noteworthy. I wanted to explore more of it. There is hint of a sequel, which I hope we see. Themes of self-discovery and survival permeate the novel, and the combination of flashbacks and present-day narration ensures that the reader gets all the details they need when they need them.
The narrator of the audiobook, Katie Erich, did an excellent job evoking a voice that Devon, our main character, would have. Often I thought the narration was in first-person because I identified the narrator so closely with Devon.
“The Book Eaters” by Sunyi Dean is dark—there is a lot of movement at night; bad things happen—but we are also treated to a good dose of hope and redemption in the end. I highly recommend this novel, and I look forward to more work from this author.
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