Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Bat Eater blends supernatural horror within the context of real-world hate crimes. Did this combination work well for you? Why or why not?

2. This book is set in the recent Covid-19 pandemic. How does it compare to other famous novels set during a pandemic, such as Stephen King’s The Stand, Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, or Mary Shelley’s The Last Man?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Cora’s life is changed forever during the pandemic, in more ways than one. Were you changed by the pandemic? How did your worries and experiences compare to Cora’s?

2. A prominent theme explored throughout the book is the place of folk ritual in helping heal from grief. Have you ever turned to rituals to deal with grief or another difficult emotion? Share some of them, if any.

3. At the beginning of the book, Cora sees herself as an insubstantial and ineffectual person, but grows to be a far more confident person by the end. Which aspects of your own identity and self-perception have developed and changed over your adult life so far?

4. Of the cleaning crew trio, which character did you connect with the most—Cora, Harvey, or Yifei? Whose perspective or experiences did you have the most trouble identifying with, and why?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Using the context of anti-Asian hate during the Covid-19 pandemic, Baker explores how marginalized victims are often rendered invisible, their experiences and suffering erased from the mainstream narrative. Can you think of other examples of marginalized communities struggling to be heard? What can people do to elevate their voices?

2. In the book, Baker touches upon the failure of the bureaucratic process and politicians in power to ensure justice for ordinary civilians. How relevant do these criticisms continue to be in the world around you today? Do you things have changed for the better or for the worse?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. While the narrative in the book is largely straightforward in its chronology, there are interludes featuring insights from Auntie Zeng on ghost month. What do these short interludes contribute to the larger narrative? What is their wider significance?

2. Compare and contrast the characters of Aunt Lois and Auntie Zeng. How are they different or similar? What is the role of each?

3. The “hungry ghost” and the element of supernatural horror is used to illuminate some of the book’s key themes and ideas about hate crimes, grief, and erasure. How does Baker blend supernatural elements with more realistic ones?

4. The term “bat eater” is a key motif in the book. Examine its significance and symbolism when juxtaposed against the “white spider” that Cora imagines Delilah’s killer as, and experiences recurring nightmares of. What role does each of these play? Why has Baker utilized symbolism related to rodents and insects specifically?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. With its vivid language, graphic detail, and mounting atmosphere of horror, Bat Eater would possibly make for a great movie adaptation. Discuss whom you would cast as each of the characters, and curate a playlist that aptly captures the eeriness of the story.

2. The book ends on an ambiguous note, with Cora choosing to engage with the “hungry ghosts” again by offering one an orange. Imagine a sequel or continuation to the story—what happens next? Who do you think is the “hungry ghost” that has emerged, and why?

3. While Yifei revealed her backstory, we never learn the details of Harvey’s life before the pandemic. Take a walk in his shoes and imagine what his story could have been: Why did he have to stay in his father’s basement? Who was the ghost he encountered down there, and how did she die? How did Harry escape this life, and why did his uncle help him do so?