Mishka’s Book Reviews

with Mishka Campbell

It’s hard to explain just how delightful it is to discover a new concept in the world of Fantasy writing. “The Book Eaters” is perhaps doubly pleasurable to read as it is not only clever in style but also in substance, as all lovers of books love books that are centred on well, books. Each chapter begins with an appropriate quotation, and there are too many stories and authors referenced for one to keep track of them all. However, all that passion for books comes with a caveat. These books are not a part of the story because they are being read…these books are being eaten.

Reclusive and secretive, book eaters keep to themselves, and have for generations. They don’t live among humans, but they do have some idea of what it is to be human because they absorb more than just nutrients from book eating. Every book’s content is retained by the eater, and so you can learn about geography by eating a map, or how to tie knots by eating a sailing manual. A literal case of you are what you eat. Our central character, Devon, comes from one of the six book eater families. Turns out infertility is becoming a real issue for the eaters, and so even though there are carefully planned (read arranged) marriages between the different clans, there are still fewer book eater babies being born. Book eater girl children are rare and highly treasured, but only because they are a commodity to be traded. Their destiny is being married off to produce children that they are not allowed to raise themselves as they will need to marry into yet another clan and repeat the cycle. Devon isn’t content with that being her fate, and even as a child she would sneak forbidden books, stories that were a far cry from the sweet fairy tales girls are traditionally fed. Wouldn’t want them getting any ideas! This book is full of action and suspense (I haven’t even touched on the knights and dragons), but it is also a meditation on motherhood, obligation, and individuality. When Devon is repressed by the traditions of her society, you feel it quite keenly. As fun as the book eating is (and it really is fun), the message at this novel’s core is a rather serious one. Oppression foments revolution and Devon won’t go down without a fight.