It’s October and that means horror! Not horrible books, though I wouldn’t say that The Book Eaters is a horrible book. I wouldn’t say it’s horror either. There are elements of course, I mean it’s inherently horrifying to imagine precious books being consumed (though I am an e-reader nowadays). The mind eaters are scary too, I suppose, yet the scariest thing in this book are not the dragons but the princesses.
Yes, there are dragons and princesses: it’s not horror, but it’s not wholly fantasy either. The fantastical elements, such as world-building, are there but in a manner lacking. Between a creator and Book Eater politicking, there’s enough to hook you in, though reeling you all the way to shore might not be feasible (a fishing analogy, huh?). But the framing of fantasy does give some insight to how the main character is depicted as a contrast to the archetypal portrayal of princesses.
Anywho, the meat of the novel is not the horror, nor the fantasy, but the relationships. The main one between mother and child is definitely present and even compelling. Not all the relationships work, however, though those are minor enough to not detract too terribly.
While it may not be what I expected, it was still an entertaining enough of a read, though I did not feel satisfied when I rapidly reached the ending. I wish there was more horror, I wish there was more lore, and I wish those pesky book eaters all got along.
In short, I can’t believe they made illithids real.