Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng Summary: Kylie Lee Baker Horror Novel

Introduction

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng Summary: In Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng, author Kylie Lee Baker crafts a haunting narrative that intertwines personal trauma with societal horrors. Set against the eerie backdrop of a pandemic-stricken New York City, the novel follows Cora Zeng, a crime scene cleaner grappling with the brutal murder of her sister and the subsequent unraveling of her reality.

As Cora navigates a world rife with xenophobia and supernatural occurrences, Baker delves deep into themes of grief, identity, and the unseen scars of societal prejudice.

Kylie Lee Baker: Author of Dark Fantasy & Horror

Kylie Lee Baker is a Korean-American author known for her lush, macabre fantasy novels that blend gothic horror, mythology, and East Asian folklore with lyrical prose and morally complex characters. Her work often explores themes of identity, death, and the cost of power.

Key Works

**1. The Keeper of Night Duology (2021–2022)**

Genre: YA Dark Fantasy/Horror
Setting: 1890s London & Japanese underworld
Plot: Follows Ren Scarborough, a half-British Reaper, half-Japanese Shinigami, who is exiled to Japan and must prove her loyalty to the Goddess of Death. The series delves into death mythology, colonialism, and biracial identity.
- The Keeper of Night (2021)
- The Empress of Time (2022)
Praise: Called “a sharp, dark jewel of a book” (New York Times), praised for its atmospheric worldbuilding and unflinching violence.

**2. The Scarlet Alchemist Duology (2023–2024)**

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy/Horror
Setting: Tang Dynasty China (with alchemy and body horror)
Plot: Zilan, a peasant girl with forbidden alchemical powers, competes to become the imperial alchemist—but her magic treads a dangerous line between resurrection and monstrosity.
- The Scarlet Alchemist (2023)
- The Crimson Fortress (2024, upcoming)
Themes: Class struggle, immortality, and grotesque transformations.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng Summary

A Horror Story Rooted in Real-World Trauma

Set against the eerie backdrop of pandemic-era New York City, Kylie Lee Baker’s Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng delivers an unsettling fusion of psychological horror and supernatural dread. The novel follows Cora Zeng, a crime scene cleaner in Chinatown, who spends her days scrubbing away the aftermath of violence—blood, entrails, and grief. Her job seems tragically appropriate: her sister Delilah was murdered, shoved in front of a subway train by a stranger shouting “bat eater.”

As more East Asian women are found dead—each scene featuring a mutilated bat—Cora’s carefully constructed isolation begins to crack. Ghosts, both literal and metaphorical, creep into her world.

Baker expertly captures the dread-filled atmosphere of early 2020: empty streets, xenophobia, and an invisible threat in the air. The novel mirrors the spike in anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, turning social fear into supernatural horror.

Atmosphere and Cultural Authenticity: Key Strengths

One of the novel’s greatest accomplishments is its immersive, oppressive atmosphere. Baker’s descriptions pull readers into Cora’s tightly controlled world, where even the smallest disturbances feel like looming threats. Her germaphobia and obsessive rituals create a suffocating sense of control—and foreshadow its inevitable collapse.

The horror builds slowly, but with unrelenting tension, much like the spirits haunting Cora’s life. The inclusion of Chinese folklore, particularly the Hungry Ghost Festival, adds cultural richness without feeling tokenized or sensationalized. Instead, these traditions are thoughtfully woven into the narrative, offering commentary on grief, memory, and identity.

Baker’s Unflinching Prose

Baker’s writing is sharp, visceral, and at times, shockingly graphic. Consider this vivid passage:

“Her throat is a jagged line, torn flaps of skin and sharp bone and the pulsing O of her open trachea. Blood runs unstopped from her throat, swirling together with the rainwater of the rotting train station, and soon the whole platform is bleeding…”

These raw moments stand in stark contrast to Cora’s numb, clinical approach to death, highlighting how deeply trauma has shaped her.

Complex Characters: Isolation and Connection

Cora Zeng is a standout protagonist in modern horror—emotionally distant, methodical, and weighed down by trauma. Her meticulous cleaning isn’t just a job—it’s a coping mechanism. Through her, Baker paints a portrait of grief, anxiety, and the desperate need for control in a chaotic world.

The supporting cast—Yifei, Harvey, and Auntie Zeng—add emotional complexity. Yifei’s confessions and Harvey’s own haunted past serve as poignant counterpoints to Cora’s solitude, illustrating different paths of survival and healing within the Asian American experience.

Themes of Identity, Grief, and Injustice

Baker’s novel operates on multiple thematic levels:

Identity & Belonging: Cora’s struggle with her Chinese heritage reflects broader questions of cultural duality and assimilation.
Grief & Ritual: Contrasting Eastern and Western approaches to death adds emotional and philosophical depth.
Systemic Injustice: The book doesn’t shy away from institutional failure, including indifferent law enforcement and media silence.
Visibility & Erasure: The hungry ghosts symbolize forgotten victims—those who die nameless and voiceless.

Weak Points: Pacing and Narrative Focus

While powerful overall, the novel is not without flaws. The midsection can feel uneven—some scenes linger too long, while others race past without resolution. At times, the blend of supernatural and real-world horror creates tonal shifts that might jar the reader.

Additionally, a few side characters feel underdeveloped despite their narrative significance. Subplots involving Officer Wang and a political conspiracy come across as rushed and underexplored.

The ending provides emotional release but may leave readers wishing for more closure on certain plot threads.

How It Compares

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng marks a bold departure from Baker’s earlier YA fantasy work (The Keeper of Night series), moving confidently into adult horror. Readers familiar with Baker’s focus on identity and outsider experiences will find thematic continuity—but the violence here is rawer, and the emotions more unsettling.

The novel shares thematic ground with:

My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
The Fervor by Alma Katsu
A Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

Like these titles, Baker uses horror to interrogate real-world issues—particularly race, trauma, and societal neglect.

Final Verdict: A Standout Debut in Horror Fiction

Despite its imperfections, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a striking debut in adult horror. It’s bold, timely, and unafraid to confront racial violence, personal grief, and institutional failure through a supernatural lens. The horror here is not just in ghosts—it’s in the silence of those in power, the erasure of marginalized voices, and the weight of unacknowledged pain.

This Kylie Lee Baker horror novel isn’t just scary—it’s meaningful.

Strengths:

Intense, claustrophobic atmosphere
Culturally authentic supernatural horror
A deeply compelling, flawed protagonist
Powerful commentary on anti-Asian racism

Weaknesses:

Uneven pacing in the middle
Some underdeveloped side characters
Rushed resolution of key subplots
Occasional tonal dissonance

Conclusion

Kylie Lee Baker’s “Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng” is a compelling exploration of grief, identity, and societal prejudice, masterfully blending supernatural horror with real-world issues. Through Cora’s harrowing journey, the novel sheds light on the often-overlooked traumas faced by marginalized communities, particularly during times of crisis. Baker’s evocative storytelling and nuanced character development make this a standout addition to contemporary horror literature.