I think this is probably a very well-written book, but I misread the description. It is way too much fantasy for me. will purchase for my library, though. I think it is perfect for readers who like this genre and who love books.

This novel blew me away. It's a highly original contemporary fantasy, mixed with dark fairy tales, and made me rethink the idea of "princess culture" more than anything else has. Our main character has been on the run from her abusive family for years, with her son under her protection--- but she can't protect the wider world from him, and must continue to provide humans as food to keep him alive. The Book Eaters starts here, and spins widely to include the backstory of how the book eaters and mind eaters relate, how these sects survived and used each other, and most importantly, how our heroine and those she loves can escape. Highly recommended!

I was reminded a bit of VE Schwab's "Shades of Magic" series. In this case, the Families and Dragons are living alongside contemporary English society and culture, some integrating better than others, but there are steampunk-ish elements. The descriptions of the book "food" are particularly memorable. The ending was a little abrupt/unresolved for my liking. Obviously this will become a series but a few more hints leading up to the cliffhanger would have made getting to that point more enjoyable.

This was a really fantastic book. The only reason it is not 5 stars is because I am incredibly stingy with that rating in general.

The premise of this book is so good! I love the idea of book eaters - a human-like race that consumes books, and as they do, all the knowledge that book contains. There are Six Families of Book Eaters in the UK, and while all of the manors have their own flavor (super modern, old and crumbling, luxurious, etc), all of the families are structured largely the same. All are headed by a patriarch who requires his family to fall in line. Since girls are so rare, the patriarchs raise the girls on fairy tales and limit their knowledge, so they can be married off (twice!) against their will and forced to bear children. The children are taken away from the mothers when they are three. Devon is not interested in this forced separation and upholding the great patriarchal traditions of Book Eater society. Here is a woman ready to burn down her own life, and most of the world, for the sake of her children.

This book has so many horrible things happening in it - forced marriages, abuse, all kinds of murder and death... these are things I normally do not tolerate well in books. But the author treats them with such care, and frames them within the Devon's life so well, that they never feel gratuitous or out of place. It in no way hindered my enjoyment of the book, and actually only increased my compassion for Devon and the horrible choices that she has to make over and over again.

As you follow along in Devon's journey, you learn about the different Book Eater Families and how their strong traditions play out in the different households. The political power plays that happen between Families as well as the knights (tasked with arranging marriages and security) and their "dragons" (mind eaters!) keep the story really interesting and layer on complexity and uncertainty as you go along. Yes, it is dark, but it is so, SO worth it. I will eagerly await another book by Sunyi Dean.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really really interesting debut, and a fascinating concept I can't remember reading before. I've said it before and I'll say it again that I'm a huge fan of magical realism and when it's done this well it's always worth a read. Really looking forward to seeing what else this author comes out with!

3.8/5
An interesting fantasy debut with a wonderful non-linear narrative, with themes of motherhood, otherness, and reimagining possibilities. From the start of The Book Eaters, you’re dropped in the middle of a world of magical realism, timeless yet modern simultaneously and are drawn in by the questions, are you a good person? Are you kind?

The story’s world building is gradual then sudden, a bit like Helen Oyeyemi’s Boy, Snow, Bird. Though The Book Eaters isn’t a fairytale retelling, its elements make it feel like a modern spin on traditional fairytales, and it’s a quick-paced, intriguing read.

A very interesting and original concept. I wasn't sure at first that the concept of a literal book eater wouldn't sound silly but this was a very well written and thrilling story to read.

It is a rare thing to come across a completely new magical world. This pulls off that rare wonder astoundingly well. The premise of secret societies that literally live off of books is just so interesting. The characters, Devon and Cai in particular, are just so well constructed. You instantly root for them and want to protect them. The world is so well built that I am in a rare spot for myself of wishing this was part of a series instead of a stand alone. But oh does it stand well on it's own. You'll want to go looking for signs of book or mind eaters in world history and folklore after this.