Kiss, Marry or Kill: 22
A book-forward story as good in audio as it was in print; the newest study on food addiction; food trends I can get behind; Whole30 and weight loss; how white supremacy influences our diets
This is my weekly series for subscribers only, where I’ll share things that caught my eye this week in a fun and flirty way (kiss), a sustainable way (marry), or a not-so-good way (kill). And yes, this trendy game is technically “f***, marry, or kill” but we run a family-friendly-ish show around here.
Content addendum: In Marry today, I’m talking about some people’s general desire to lose weight. There are no specifics on weight loss tactics and I don’t discuss bodyweight specifically, but if you’d rather not read anything about weight loss, skip it today. XO
Kiss (things I like right now)
The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
Halloween was two days ago and today’s KMK is all about food, so what better week to marry the two and revisit one of my favorite dark and twisty reads—The Book Eaters.
I listened to it this time, as it was a favorite read (in print) of 2022. I LOVED THIS BOOK from the very first iteration of the word “bookteeth.” I gravitate to stories where books are the star, but this one married fantasy, magic, love, and violence in a way that kept me turning pages way too late.
She looked down at her son and loved him with the kind of twisted, complex feeling that came from having never wanted him in the first place. She loved him though she knew no good could ever come from such a bond.
The story follows a mother and her divergent son (who eats minds, not books) on a journey from her past through their current day. The fierceness and horror of this mother’s love is the star of the show, and the kid is equal parts creepy as hell and absolutely charming—wise beyond his years due to the many minds he’s feasted on.
But the true star of this work is the imagination with which it was crafted. The way books nourish us and families define us, the way secrets are kept and oaths are betrayed and loyalties are tested and hearts are repaired… this book, start-to-finish, was an absolute triumph.
Aside: The narration of this book is incredible—I just needed a second to get used to the Liverpool accent of narrator and actor Katie Erich. She did a particularly good job with the character of Devon, noting the age changes in subtle but effective ways as the book jumps between time periods. It was just as good on audio as it was in print, so choose your own adventure.
