How to Be Eaten: A Novel Hardcover – May 31, 2022

I read this book in one day because I found it so compelling. I deeply enjoyed reading about each story and how the group came together over their shared, traumatic and fantastical experiences. I enjoyed the unanswered question of how real the magical aspect of their event happened as well, unable to tell what was real or a result of trauma influencing memory.

Wasn't certain what to expect, but this book delivered so much more than I could have hoped for. Adelmann's "How to be Eaten" is a non-stop page turner.

This was certainly an unexpected summer read for my book club. I appreciate the modern take on fairytales as well as the twists and turns but I needed more. There were sprinkles of magical realism but not enough for a woman who loves that genre. All of the characters are severely flawed and I couldn't exactly root for anyone. Certainly unique and unlike anything I've read in recent memory.

Good book to read if you're looking for a modern day twist on old school folklores. Definitely makes you think about the characters in different perspectives. Was recommended in a book club I'm in i would definitely recommend to Y.A.

I don't even know where to start. I fell headfirst into the story and stayed there. I liked every one of our easily recognizable heroines, especially if one knows Grimms at all. I would even like a follow up...

The female characters are well written, one has low self-esteem, one is annoying, another oblivious, and all are victims who are finally controlling the narrative. It felt like the stories werent going much of anywhere at first, but then the characters and the reader slowly start to figure out what they all have in common. A refreshing retelling of old fairytales with a feminist twist. The ending is bittersweet, but I'd say the whole book is worth it.

I love reading fairy tales growing up, probably because they hinge upon the reassuring notion that anything bad that happens to you is just an interesting part of your story that is bound to end in "happily ever after." But now that I'm revisiting them with my daughter, I keep thinking about trauma. How can anyone be happily ever after after they've watched their grandmother get eaten, or seen their stepsisters hack off their toes to fit in slippers, or been held hostage? How to Be Eaten delves into that, with the deeply traumatized survivors of the classic stories, and examines how any of us heal.

3.25 stars rounded down.<i>That's the other side of misfortune: the power you wield. The least you can get out of a bad day is a good story, something people can really sink their teeth into.</i>In a time when the market is over-saturated with fairytale-retellings, Maria Adelman makes a valiant effort to add her own twist to the mix. And I think for the most part, it's <i>vaguly</i> successful.Throughout the book, you follow the stories of 5 women who meet every week at a "support group" started by this guy named Will, and they each take turns telling their own "stories", even though their misfortunes have been picked over by the media, and they're all infamous in their own ways.I was impressed by Adelmann's reimaginings of classical fairytales, and even the magical realism that goes both questioned and unquestioned in this world. It makes for a good, fascinating read. The characters themselves all have distinct voices, and you're bopping in and out of them using their own voices to tell their stories as they remember it, interspersed with the third person "live" reactions of the others in the support group.I found all the stories compelling throughout, and it was a good, interesting (if heavyhanded at times) use of the "unreliable narrator" trope.But at it's essence, I this story only partially succeeds at what it sets out to d0, which (so far as I've understood) is to reexamine the cultural zeitgeist of "morbid curiosity" that pervades modern society. It tries to warn us against the pop culture true-crime, the endless biopics, the sensationalized news coverages, the dateline interviews, of people who have suffered through life-altering traumas. It attempts to force us to reevaluate our own roles in fictionalizing the stories of so-called "victims" at the expense of a real person's life.And the reason I say it only vaguely accomplishes this goal is because of the twist at the end. <spoiler>The moment it became clear that Will was actually Jake Jackson</i>, I found myself a little confused as to where the whole thing was going. At first, I just thought it was strange that <i>Will was secretly taping all of it</i>, and then a little disturbed at the concept of <i>his "Will Suit".</i>. But I didn't think much on it based on the premise of magical realism in this story.However, I fail to see how the women are "taking a hold of their own narratives" at the end, because all the book does is that it <i>tells</i> us that they are.Most of the book is spent illustrating each character's unwillingness to accept change (which is pretty accurate, especially for those who have grown up with trauma, or suffer chronic PTSD). It was heartwarming to see all the women bond together at the end, but it felt almost like a cop-out because suddenly, they <i>have</i> to be united against this new "common enemy" that's literally a real-life metaphor for "the media" (I mean, c'mon, he's literally a reality TV show host).It shifts the focus away from the women, a bit too much, and in the end, I found myself wanting. I wanted to <i>see</i> how they've grown, the ways they've changed.I was also intrigued by the stories of the women who <i>didn't</i> end up coming to the group (Rapunzel, The Princess and the Pea, etc). I would've loved to see the "modernized" portrayals of their stories.So I think in the end, while Adelmann's imagination definitely shines through, the execution is left a tiny bit lacking.Still, it's a riveting read, and I'd recommend it to people who like both gruesome fairytales and gritty true-crime novels. This is a great mix of a little bit of both.

Maria Adelmann's "How to Be Eaten" was both fascinating and disturbing. Which in my books (pun unintended) is a huge compliment. The plot was that memorable. Each character was well developed and I loved how she had incorporated certain societal/sub cultural references into the story. I am not going to ruin this review with spoilers. Read it. Even if you love or hate it, it will certainly pull you down the rabbit hole.

This is brilliantly written and explores six different tales told by women in what they believe is a trial for a new type of group therapy based on story telling. A compelling modern twist on traditional fairy tales in a way that brings home issues women face in todays western culture. A riveting read that flows beautifully. Thoroughly recommend!