The Book Eaters

I've got to assume it's the writing that worked for me here because there's so much about this book that I shouldn't/didn't like. There's something about a dual time period told story that really endears me to short chapters - you don't feel like you're slogging along too long without hearing from the other parallel narrative, especially when one is filling in blanks for the other, but a bit too handmaid's tale for my taste overall.  For such a brutal world depicted, it's not quite made up for by the imaginative way the different books are described as tasting, down to the type of paper and covers used, as well as the genre and subject matter.  Tricky to sympathize with any character other than Jarrow, even knowing Devon, most characters actually, had no good choices - comes back to my disconnect with vampire fiction maybe - hard to relate when the world described has you labelled as disposable prey.  A strong theme paralleling several characters: to sacrifice for your family, and lose yourself at the same time - choices and consequences they can't come back from.  I don't know whether this story raised any flags with Romanian readers, I can't speak to the rep - will have to look out for own voices reviews.