The Book Eaters

Dean has created such an interesting set of monsters here; they're like nothing I've seen before. And the protagonist is both very much a monster but also one who desperately loves her child, despite the fact that he's even more of a monster. It's tense, original, and a fascinating exploration of what we're willing to do.

I started this book on a plane, continued to read in my seat after the plane landed, and was seriously annoyed at the flight attendant when forced to deplane. This is one of those books with a simple twist on the fantasy genre I wish I’d thought of—a race of beings who subsist on eating books.

Dean’s world building is superb, the protagonist is a badass, and the portrayal of the fractured relationships among characters—especially with her son—complicated and relatable. I finished it (in a chair at the airport) in one sitting, and it was worth it.