“We can only live by the light we're given, and some of us are given no light at all. What else can we do except learn to see in the dark?”
What a book! Sunyi has not only created the most unique dark urban fantasy cross science fiction I think I have read in a long time, but has done it with some incredible writing skill too. Without a doubt this is going to become one of those books that everyone is talking about and sharing on social media. I started the book expecting fantasy with an edge of darkness, what I didn’t expect (as someone who rarely reads Sci-Fi) was to become enthralled by a world in which a humanoid alien type species consumes books (and in some cases flesh), and to actually become attached to these creatures like they are familiar friends.
The story is more than just a carefully worded science fiction come fantasy, it’s a unique exploration of what family and motherhood means and what being a woman means,.
I loved how you grew to love characters that would, in any other story, be seen as monsters and the enemy or villain. The scene setting was brilliant and helped bring the story to life through real places and snippets of knowledge.
The history of the world was woven perfectly into the current day story and I felt that despite being terrifying and ludicrous at times… the world where these creatures live was totally believable. That’s a good sign of some amazing writing talent.
I would recommend this read for anyone who enjoys dark fantasy, and has a love of consuming books…. It won’t be for everyone, but it’s worth at least a nibble to see if it takes your fancy!
✨TW:
Body horror, gore, explicit violence, domestic abuse, violence against children
✨Bonus:
As we pack up our campervan to cross the border into Scotland, this seems like the perfect book to be reviewing, as Devon and Hester made a similar journey. For full atmospheric delight take a look at Sunyi’s link to photos featuring areas in the book here.
