How to Be Eaten: A Novel

One of NPR's Best Books of the Year: This darkly funny and provocative novel reimagines classic fairy tale characters as modern women in a support group for trauma.

In present-day New York City, five women meet in a basement support group to process their traumas. Bernice grapples with the fallout of dating a psychopathic, blue-bearded billionaire. Ruby, once devoured by a wolf, now wears him as a coat. Gretel questions her memory of being held captive in a house made of candy. Ashlee, the winner of a Bachelor-esque dating show, wonders if she really got her promised fairy tale ending. And Raina's love story will shock them all.

Though the women start out wary of one another, judging each other's stories, gradually they begin to realize that they may have more in common than they supposed . . . What really brought them here? What secrets will they reveal? And is it too late for them to rescue each other?

Dark, edgy, and wickedly funny, this debut for readers of Carmen Maria Machado, Kristen Arnett, and Kelly Link takes our coziest, most beloved childhood stories, exposes them as anti-feminist nightmares, and transforms them into a new kind of myth for grown-up women.

*Belletrist June Book Club Pick*

Named a Best Book of May by TIME Magazine & Glamour One of NPR's Best Books of the Year

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Published Jul 25, 2023

304 pages

Average rating: 6.43

164 RATINGS

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jess.withbooks

Jun 05, 2025

8/10 stars

âItâs all part of the processâ¦except when does the process end, you know? When do I get to be in the Ever After stage, where nothing ever happens but happiness?â
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âHow To Be Eatenâ centers around a support group for women with traumatic experiences. As they share their stories each weekâthrough a narrative therapy approachâthe aftermath of their experiences is brought to light.

Because of course these women are still living with their trauma. One lost contact with her brother after they escaped a candy house where she was being starved, and another wears the fur coat of her abuser. Even though their stories are larger than life, thereâs still something universal about the hold their pasts have on them as they continue to escape their portrayals as victims.

This book felt like a combination of Kelly Link & âThe Final Girl Support Group.â I donât think the writing style will appeal to every reader, but there are quite a few funny moments & multiple stand-out quotesâwhich I will share in my latest blog post!

Books & Bochinche

Apr 18, 2025

8/10 stars

How to Be Eaten was an interesting read. I have to say it was a lot of story for one book. It was well written. A good book for women. It has a little bit of everything so you def will fine something to like.

Lyssers

Feb 02, 2025

8/10 stars

This book is very different from what I usually read. It is gritty in that it is not afraid to go odd places with the stories of each woman in the book. There are horror aspects throughout the book, but the fantasy aspect of the story keeps it feeling fictional and not like things that happen in real life.

EmpoweredReader

Aug 01, 2024

8/10 stars

I loved the concept and the way the author altered our perspectives about old fairytales, but I found there were a lot of unanswered questions and filling in the blanks, hence the rating. Shedding light on all the problems women face in such a way keeps it highly rated in my eyes, regardless of its minor flaws.

deebags

May 05, 2024

7/10 stars

This book was interesting. I like how it gives us the life stories behind some fables. I like the twists and turns and how it talks about real world mental issues. The guilt that moves through life after having experienced something bad. The ending was unexpected. I was totally wrong. The chapters are sooo incredibly long though which is the only downside.