Welcome back to Books With Cause. Let’s dive straight into my latest review.
It feels like a minute since I last reviewed a book selected by Horror Aficionados. It’s time to put that right, and in this edition, we take a look at Eat the Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin.
Our main character in this book is Shell. She’s recently lost her dream graphic design job and broken up with her long-term fiancé. As a result, she moves back in with her parents and is desperate to get a new job. Any job. Which leads her to Woodbine Crown Mall and a florist that has a Help Needed sign in the window. This is where she meets Neve – a florist who is overly dedicated to her profession and hides a secret which threatens to tear the mall apart.
This is where the twist comes, and I think it highlights how there are so many different types of horror. This isn’t a slasher with a serial killer or the kind to have multiple jump scares. This book probably has more in common with something like Little Shop of Horrors. The “horror” in this story comes in the form of a hungry giant orchid that lives in the terrarium of the mall. The orchid has a special attachment to Neve.
This book was slow. Getting through the first 100 pages or so was like wading through treacle. There were a few of times when I considered giving up on it, and I persevered. It generally takes a lot for me to give up on a book. I have to be seriously bored to get to that stage.
There is still a lot to enjoy about this book. I don’t know if we’re supposed to like the character of Shell, but I did find myself liking her. Her relationship with Neve is complicated, but it is arguably the most interesting thing about this book. It’s heavy with vibes. It’s not the sort of book for everybody, but there is definitely a readership out there.
My Goodreads rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
