Book Eaters

"I devoured this."―V. E. Schwab, New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie La RueAn International BestsellerAn NPR Best Sci Fi, Fantasy, & Speculative Fiction Book of 2022A Book Riot Best Book of 2022A Vulture Best Fantasy Novel of 2022A Goodreads Best Fantasy Choice Award NomineeA Library Journal Best Book of 2022Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book's content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries. Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon―like all other book eater women―is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairy tales and cautionary stories.But real life doesn't always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger―not for books, but for human minds.

V. E. Schwab, NYT bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue

"I devoured this."

Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six

"Raw and imaginative, this gritty, gothic anti-fairytale knows the truth: love will make a villain out of anyone."

Buzzfeed

"A delightfully weird exploration of motherhood, queerness, and escaping patriarchal norms.”

James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestseller of The Starless Crown

“Innovative, unique, poignant, and told with a voice as original as the story itself. I finished this novel in that one sitting, yet I’ll be pondering it for a long time to come. This is the debut of a new master of the modern fantasy. Don’t miss it.”

Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A Doorway

"This beautiful, delicate, cruel, utterly unique look at tradition, motherhood, trauma, and what it means to be a monster would be a masterpiece from an established author. As a debut, it is nothing short of stunning. It kept surprising me all the way to the end.”

Booklist, starred review

"A powerful story of overwhelming mother love, as something both powerful and potentially horrific. It’s a book that delves into the need to survive even when a system is built to break you or determined to crush you; a powerful queer story about difference that refuses to flinch away from difficult choices or the impact of trauma, both generational and inflicted. Readers will devour this compelling, rich fantasy."

Publishers Weekly, starred review

“voracious reader” a new, very literal meaning ... The fascinating magic system, impeccable and unusual worldbuilding, and well-shaded characters will keep readers riveted through every twist of this wild ride."

Christopher Buehlman, author of The Blacktongue Thief

“A darkly sweet pastry of a book about family, betrayal, and the lengths we go to for the ones we love. Great reading for a rainy morning, with tea or coffee on, a cat in your lap, and nowhere to be but lost in a delicious modern fairy tale.”

Everina Maxwell, author of Winter's Orbit

“Dark and incredibly compelling―I could not put this book down. All about motherhood and monsters, and twists the knife on every page.”

Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart

“An entrancing tale that explores the ways that love can both strengthen and destroy us. It had me on the edge of my seat right up until the end. The Book Eaters is one you’ll want to sink your teeth into.”

H.G. Parry, author of The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep

“A exquisitely-crafted tale of those who break free of the stories written for them and forge their own in ink and blood. I couldn't put it down.”

Essa Hansen, author of Nophek Gloss

“Two delicious timelines weave a thriller-paced tale ... It peels back the pampering veneer of fairytales and tradition to trauma beneath, with a rich, nuanced look at grey morality and motherhood. Full of heart and hurt, you’ll want to consume The Book Eaters in one sitting.”

Michael Mammay, author of The Planetside series

"Sunyi Dean is a master of pace and foreshadowing, and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat from the first page to the last. THE BOOK EATERS is gorgeously written, the kind of novel that stays with you long after you finish reading it.”

Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones

"A gloriously Gothic contemporary horror fantasy, perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman and Tanith Lee."

Library Journal, starred review

“A fascinating debut with shades of gothic fantasy and contemporary thriller, wrapped in a narrative full of vivid and detailed characters and worldbuilding, and an unusual premise.”

The Daily Mail

“A gripping and beautifully plotted story told with verve and deliciously dark wit.”

About the Author

Sunyi Dean is an autistic author of fantasy fiction. The Book Eaters is her debut novel. Originally born in the States and raised in Hong Kong, she now lives in Yorkshire with her children. When not reading, running, falling over in yoga, or rolling d20s, she sometimes escapes the city to wildswim in lonely dales.

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