I absolutely loved the concept of this story. A book eater who gave birth to a mind eater.

They believed that The Collector, an extraterrestrial being, placed them on Earth. The book eaters were to gather human knowledge, and the mind eaters were to sample human experiences. The Collector never returned for them. (I want to know what happened to The Collector!) The books had all different flavours depending on what subject they were. The book eaters CONSUMED the books just like I did with my reading. I zoomed through these pages.

Men were in charge. Weddings were organised by Knights. Women were allowed to marry twice and have two (maybe three) kids. They married purely for the sake of procreation. The children were unable to stay with the mother. One of the Six Families, the Ravenscars, devised a recipe called Redemption which kept the mind eaters from guzzling brains. I loved the way that the mind eater had all the attributes, experiences, and knowledge of the person whose mind they ate.

My brain has a problem with names which have the same number of letters in them, as I struggle to remember who is who. That is the only downside of this book as I was driven to distraction by Matley, Jarrow, Ramsey, Hester, Weston, and Ealand, not forgetting Devon, Luton, and Salem! However, as I was completely and utterly hooked in the story, I persevered.

I chose this ARC from a selection which I voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own. My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author.

this books premise seems super weird and i can guarantee this feeling continues throughout in the best possible way! the narrator managed to frustrate me and yet i was still hoping she would make different decisions. it’s a story of humanity and the sides of it in a world which appears not so human

As soon as this novel starts you are thrown into Devon’s chaotic life. After buying bottles of vodka and forgetting her sons eczema cream you are soon met with violence and murder (from a five year old). Now, everything is not as it seems for Cai is not an ordinary boy, nor is Devon an ordinary woman.

Devon is a ‘Book Eater’. She consumes books as her source of food and retains every inch of knowledge she consumes. Having spent her life being told she must eat fairytales of princesses whilst under the watchful eye of the family, Devon quickly rebels which causes her brother Ramsey to be sent away. Cai however, is a mind eater. Someone who must consume the memories and thoughts of another by practically eating their brains with a long protruding tongue. This is not without its costs, for when a mind eater consumes their feed they take on the characteristics of the person they have consumed. For instance, after Cai has consumed one gentleman he was asking for pints of lager and to watch Corrie! The fact that a young five year old takes on these characteristics is amazing and I loved that Sunyi did not shy away from this! It adds a massive shock factor when you take into account Cai is FIVE. He definitely doesn’t act it.

Devon is a princess, but not your ordinary princess. I love that she is rebellious and will do absolutely anything for her kids. Devon is not treated fairly and after spending three years with her daughter she is dragged away without even being able to say goodbye. Sunyi completely captivates how distraught Devon is, and the honesty of motherhood that you would die for your children is wrought through every page you read. You feel everything when reading this book, every pain, every heartache and every fury! You are rooting for Devon and her family from start to finish. Even in the face of a truly ruthless villain, who, is also likeable. In a weird round about fashion.

Sunyi manages to complete a full circle in her writing, taking you from Devon’s childhood all the way to present day without making you feel like your jumping time zones too much. Sunyi has mastered the art of flashbacks without making you groan at the thought. For me personally I’ve found flashbacks boring and unnecessary but are the encompassing part of this novel. Without them, you would be left standing in the dark wondering how Devon became the ultimate badass she is.

In the hunt for Redemption, a chemical compound in tablet format, Devon meets a number of characters. Hester is beautifully written, and her love for her handbag is truly *chefs kiss*. The love interests are obvious and predictable but you are so rooting for them that it does not matter. I love how Sunyi doesn’t blatantly shout out these characters are part of the LGBTQ+ community and just manages to show it through her writing. Too many novels just shout out sexuality without showing it and I much prefer this writing style.

I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a quick read and something you truly haven’t seen before. There are sections which are extremely predictable, which is the only reason this book got four stars from me! I like to be shocked with plot twists etc…and the predictability just brought it down that little bit! However, excellent and easy writing style which makes for an amazing read!

4.5 stars rounded up.

This book is really impressive for a debut - a fascinating premise, well rounded, interesting characters, a gripping plot, and a fast pace that kept me reading. It's on the shorter side, but just as long as it needed to be to tell the story. I really liked and sympathized with Devon, and this book is actually as weird as the marketing claims. I'm always looking for unique books like this.

The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the ending felt a little rushed, and I would have liked to see a little bit of what came after.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC. I enjoyed reading this book, it has a very unique concept but I couldn't connect with the characters - so 3.5 stars from me.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Book Eaters follows the POV of Devon, Devon grew up as a princess in the hidden society of book eaters. Book eaters are humanoid in figure yet survive by literally eating books and other written material. We are first introduced to Devon as she is trying to survive while on the run from other book eaters with her young son Cai, who is what is known in the book eating world as a brain eater. Brain eaters are ostracised from birth as they are seen to be unable to stop the basic nature of eating human and book eater brains, usually killed or trained to become Dragons, a mindless killing machine from the age of three, when they are taken from their mothers. Devon and Cai, escape the compound and remain on the run, as they try and track down the elusive Ravenscroft family to find a drug that will help Cai. As you move through the story you see flashbacks of how Devon grew up and what led her to the choices she has made to get to the present point.
I found this book to be very dark in its themes, Devon goes through a horrendous amount of suffering, and the choices she must make are a reminiscence of sophies choice. She’s brought up in a world that holds no value to women other than as breeding machines, sold into three-year “marriages” where they are expected to breed and then go home giving up the right to see their children ever again.
The writing was very good, intriguing, political, and flowed very well, however, I just didn’t connect with Devon, I imagine she is a by-product of the choices that are thrust upon her, I just found her cold and unlikable.

4.75 stars

Atmospheric, gripping and profoundly moving, The Book Eaters is a 2022 new release to watch out for!! Told with gorgeous, effortless prose and exploring themes of motherhood, identity and sacrifice. It can be at times brutal and heart-breaking but ultimately leaves you with a feeling of hope and an emphasis on the importance of chosen family and love.

The Book Eaters follows the story of Devon, a book eater princess, raised in seclusion in the yorkshire countryside and kept secret from the human world. Devon is part of a society known as the book eaters who eat books in order to survive. They are made of up of multiple Families, reminiscent of noble families of regency era England, with women treated in a similar fashion to be bargained and traded between families to have children. The story starts when Devon is a bit older and has run away into the human world with her son, Cai. She is on the run from multiple aspects of her past (slowly revealed through flashbacks, which also provide a lot more insight into book eater society) and at the same time trying to keep her son alive. Cai is a variant of the book eaters known as mind eaters - which is exactly what it sounds like - in which he has to eat brains to survive.

This book really snuck up on me with how much I loved it. The quietly poetic writing, themes of motherhood and queerness, an imaginative alternative england, the use of the phrase "it'll be reet" (as a yorkshire lass this made me unreasonably happy lol), the balance of action/drama with more heartfelt moments - everything just combined perfectly to create a book that was ultimate katy bait.

I really liked all the characters, especially Devon - she really carried the story with her heart and hardships she faces. The decisions and sacrifices she has to make for the sake of her children are very moving and heart-breaking at times but also felt very realistic and a reflection on humanity and motherhood. I also really loved some of the other characters, especially Cai and Jarrow (Devon's son and best friend who helps her escape the book eater respectively). I also enjoyed the hint of romance - I wasn't expecting this book to be sapphic so that was a very pleasant surprise and I especially liked Devon's journey with realising her queerness once she is in human society and how she had never even realised it could be an option for her before.

The themes in this book were really on point and well explored. I loved seeing the insight into book eater culture and how the mind eaters are treated as monsters and the politics within the book eater world to control them. One of the Families has a substance called redemption which means mind eaters can eat books to survive but they are beholden to this one family having a monopoly. There is also a lot of discussion around religious fanaticism (but not actual religion more just an allegory) and the world of the book eaters is very cult-like and Devon journey and emotions in escaping them definitely has parallels with people in real life who have escaped cults.

Overall I would highly recommend this book, it is definitely one of my top 5 books I've read so far this year! Especially if you enjoy murder sapphics, a super precious mother/son dynamic, heart pounding espionage drama and some good ol' patriarchy bashing.

This was such an interesting read. It was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters. It was a gripping read that was both dark and funny in equal measures. I really enjoyed it.

The Book Eaters is one of those great works of speculative fiction that pairs a unique magical premise with a deep focus on theme. There are so many layers to this story, but the simple, beautiful core is that of family, and the messy reality of what that might mean. The plot is gripping without needing to be complex, and it is particularly easy to latch onto these characters and the society they live in, as, despite their outlandish nature, they reflect familiar elements of society. I do think that I was ready for a slower and fuller ending, giving each of the plot and theme elements a moment to wrap up - while the balance between past and present timelines is generally perfect, the climax isn't helped by a few flashbacks that don't add as much and do slow things down. But emotionally, I am utterly satisifed with this narrative and where it ends up - a work that deserves to be contemplated as well as consumed.

(Also posted to Goodreads)

3.5 stars

Definitely something different to my normal read.
Dark at times , and at others good fun.
It felt like a proper adventure I was embarking on , and the danger and surprises didn't stop coming.
Interesting and entertaining.
Can't ask for more.

A beautifully written book. Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read

The Book Eaters is told from third person in two timelines. The story stars with Devon; a mother who is talking about her son Cai. The present timeline follows Devon as she ponders what is to come for her and Cai. The second timeline takes place twenty two years ago when Devon was eight years old. In this world there are people who eat books and live on stories and legends. There are few women book eaters and children are rare. Unfortunately Devon's second child is born a mind eater instead of a book eater. Mind eaters consumer the minds and souls of humans so Devon flees out of love for he child. Devon doesn't want her child to be turned into a weapon and will do anything to save her son. However, as her son consumers more and more souls and minds he loses part of himself. Firstly I just adore the cover of this book and it is partly why I wanted to read this book. The story is very different to anything I have ever read before and I can see this intriguing many people. However, I found it hard to connect with the characters as the writing felt very removed. Overall, I am giving it 3 stars as it is a very unique story but I couldn't really connect with it and it is never really explained why the book eaters are the book eaters.