How to Be Eaten

BELLETRIST JUNE BOOK CLUB PICK

TIME Magazine and Glamour both selected this as a Best Book of May. NPR also named it one of the Best Books of the Year. This novel offers a darkly funny and thought-provoking twist by casting classic fairy tale characters as modern women navigating trauma within a support group.

In contemporary New York City, five women convene in a basement support group to confront their past traumas. Bernice struggles with the aftermath of dating a psychopathic, blue-bearded billionaire. Ruby, once consumed by a wolf, now wears him as a coat. Gretel questions her memories of captivity in a house made of candy. Ashlee, the victor of a Bachelor-like dating show, wonders if her fairy tale ending was genuine. And Raina's love story promises to astonish them all.

Initially wary and judgmental, the women gradually discover unexpected similarities, questioning what led them to this group and what secrets they'll unveil. Is it too late for them to rescue one another?

This debut novel, perfect for fans of Carmen Maria Machado, Kristen Arnett, and Kelly Link, skillfully deconstructs our cherished childhood stories, revealing them as anti-feminist nightmares while crafting a new, empowering mythos for grown-up women. Dark, edgy, and wickedly funny, it challenges familiar narratives with a fresh, incisive perspective.