I Feed Her to the Beast

I Feed her to the Beast by Jamison Shea

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Laure Mesny is a perfectionist with an axe to grind. Despite being constantly overlooked in the elite and cutthroat world of the Parisian ballet, she will do anything to prove that a Black girl can take center stage. To level the playing field, Laure ventures deep into the depths of the Catacombs and strikes a deal with a pulsating river of blood.

The primordial power Laure gains promise influence and adoration, everything she’s dreamed of and worked toward. With retribution on her mind, she surpasses her bitter and privileged peers, leaving broken bodies behind her on her climb to stardom.

But Laure quickly learns she’s not the only monster around, and her vicious desires make her a perfect target for slaughter. As she descends into madness and the mystifying underworld beneath her, she is faced with the ultimate choice: continue to break herself for scraps of validation or succumb to the darkness that wants her exactly as she is—monstrous heart and all. That is, if the god-killer doesn’t catch her first.

Ballet is seen as the pinnacle of grace and discipline. Beneath the satin and tulle there is a world of sacrifice and survival. In I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me, Jamison Shea raises the curtain on a blood-soaked stage where ambition devours innocence and power demands a price.

Characters: 8

Laure what I would call a morally grey protagonist who claws her way through every page with raw hunger for attention. She’s not always likable but she is always real. Her ambition is jagged, her choices; brutal. The supporting cast that consists of rival dancers, manipulative mentors and mysterious forces serve as mirrors, each reflecting the cost of survival in a world that feeds on brilliance.

Atmosphere: 9

Shea captured the world of the Parisian ballet with eerie elegance. The suffocating pressure of elite performance spaces, where every plié is a performance and every misstep could mean, erasure is done to near perfection. It’s gothic, glamorous, and grotesque in all the right ways.

Writing: 10

Jamison Shea’s writing is a revelation. Unapologetically Black, unapologetically feminine, and unapologetically furious.

Plot: 10

This is a story of transformation - not just magical but psychological. Laure’s descent into darkness is paced perfectly, each choice pushing her deeper into a world where power is both a curse and a blessing.

Intrigue: 9

From the first page, the tension is palpable. The mystery of the Beast, the rituals, and the cost of Laure’s ascent kept me hooked. Shea balances supernatural horror with real world terror-racism, misogyny, and the violence of erasure.

Logic/Relationships: 9

The relationships are messy, toxic, and painfully real. Laure’s interactions with the characters around her reflect the web of competition and frenemies. The logic of world, including its rules concerning magic and the consequences feel earned and consistent.

Enjoyment: 10

This book puts a new spin on pointe shoes. It’s haunting, empowering, and impossible to put down. For readers who like horror with heart, rage with rhythm, and stories that center Black girls not as victims but as forces of nature.

Final Verdict: 5 stars. A dark and dazzling read

Jamison Shea crafted a debut novel that is as beautiful as it is brutal. In Laure, we see the truth that is so often hidden behind the curtain. I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me, is a ballet of blood and brilliance.