Woman, Eating

More about the book

Absolutely brilliant—tragic, funny, eccentric, and perfectly suited to our strange times. The author takes the vampire trope and makes it feel fresh and original. The spell this novel casts is complete and utterly captivating. A biracial half-human, half-vampire must navigate her mixed heritage and insatiable hunger in this stunning debut. Lydia craves Japanese food—sashimi, ramen, onigiri—but can only digest blood. Living away from her vampire mother for the first time in a London studio, she finds sourcing fresh pigs' blood more challenging than expected. Surrounded by fellow artists, gallery-goers, and a boyish artist named Ben, Lydia grapples with her instincts as a predator. Despite her natural inclinations, she struggles to feed on humans. In her windowless studio, where she paints and binge-watches Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lydia reflects on her existence. Though she possesses what many humans desire—perpetual youth and immortality—she feels miserable and lonely, always hungry. As she evolves as a woman and an artist, Lydia must reconcile the conflicts within her: her demon and human sides, her mixed heritage, and her relationship with food and humans. Ultimately, she must find a way to exist in a world where she longs for connection but is bound by her nature.