The Book Eaters

I really liked this book.

The first chapter sets up the atmosphere that this book brings.

It's a slower paced book for the majority of the book. Because of that the end felt a bit rushed but I enjoyed the time I spent with the book so this wasn't a big deal for me. Also, about 75% of the story is told in back and forth timelines that I think worked well but also slowed down the progression of the plot.

I thought the world was very interesting - from the extreme patriarchal society to the “magic” system. The whole idea of book eating is fascinating (and the limitations that brings).

Also, writing was solid. There were several lines that I underlined.

As far as character - for me this felt more plot than character but I did enjoy the characters (except for the ones you are supposed to dislike). It may be that the length of the novel reduced the amount of time that could be spent on character development.

Note, not all of the storylines are tied up in the end but this is a stand alone novel. Keep that in mind if this is something that bothers you.