I started this book mainly cause I wanted to read a book narrated by Natalie Naudus and, cause I’d heard some good things about it – and I was not disappointed.

Bat Eater is a multilayered exploration of horror which are intricately interconnected. Overarching, of course, is the horror of the pandemic – the fear of infection and contamination, the drastic change to public life and the city. It may not have been the cause for anti-Asian racism but it definitely is the catalyst for a new wave of hate flooding NYC. Then there is the horror of losing the one person that you could trust to be there, that knew you, and the fear of never being known again – mixed with supernatural horror and the dread that starts rising once Cora cleans up the apartments of more and more Asian women murdered in cold blood.

This mix of themes kept me on my feet through the course of the book – not once did I feel bored (I read it within three days so you know I was hooked). Cora has an amazing character arc and, even with all the horrors and the constant fear, there are moments of real joy and connection speckled throughout the book that lighten it up.

I’d recommend this to everyone who can handle the gore and horror – and I wanna give a special shoutout to the narrator, Natalie Naudus. There is a reason she is as renowned in her field as she is, and she did an amazing job at bringing this book to life. This is one of the moments where the narration elevates an already amazing prose which made this book one of my favourite reads this year.