Review: The Hunger
/
3 stars. Don't get me wrong - this is a fantastic read. I read it in one day and couldn't put it down. It's like a delightfully dark horror movie (and will undoubtedly one day be adapted into a great one). But it isn't perfect, and there were some components I couldn't stand.
The Hunger reminds me of The Terror in the sense that it is a fictional retelling of a tragic moment in history with a supernatural twist. Alma Katsu obviously did her research into the region and the people and the ins and outs of wagon train voyages, but go in aware: she takes a lot of liberties.
She seeks to tell the tale of the doomed Donner Party, who, for those of us NOT obsessed with disturbing shit, attempted to migrate to California in a wagon train and resorted to cannibalism when they became trapped for the winter. It's a fascinating event in itself, demonstrating how humans fail - physically and morally - under harsh, catastrophic conditions.
Katsu explores this theme in her book, in no way replacing the human horror with monster horror. As things get tough, the voyagers get nasty. There are several particular villains here that leap off the page and scared me in ways no zombie ever will.
“Terrible things happened to children—and women—all the time, in their own homes, by people you knew, people you thought you could trust.”
But there are a few things that rubbed me the wrong way.
First, there was an UDD (Unnecessary Dog Death).
Second, there was a surprising amount of sex and romance. It's like in this book's world, an individual couldn't exist without having some sort of fetish, specific desire or deep attraction for someone. I love reading about sexually active women, but it doesn't have to be every single character's THING - their defining characteristic.
Third, the ending felt really weird and rushed and strange. Maybe a little anticlimactic?
Regardless, this is a must read for horror fans. There are some spectacular moments woven into this complex narrative - moments that will stay with me for years. Sure, it gets a little melodramatic, or overwrought, but it's excellent. Very creative, very fun.