Review: A Certain Hunger
/4 stars. This is actually really more of a 3 star read for me, but I have to give it an extra bump due to the sheer audacity of it all and the fact that the premise is so damn attractive, if not exactly groundbreaking. A Certain Hunger clearly and declaratively stands on the shoulders of American Psycho, the Hannibal Lector books, maybe even more contemporary works such as Maestra or You or anything written by Ottessa. And that's what you should jump in knowing: if you enjoy these sorts of books, you will definitely enjoy this one, but don't expect something super fresh or unique. It is what it is - referential, derivative - and delightful all the same.
A Certain Hunger is a faux memoir written by Dorothy Daniels, an imprisoned serial killer who murdered her male victims and ate them. She recounts each crime with wit, whimsy, and an incredible level of detail. Dorothy really is two things: a self-diagnosed psychopath and a former food critic; the only thing that interests her - sparks interest, passion, obsession - is food. And so this book features it predominantly and potentially more than her crimes. But everything is tangled and intertwined, naturally. She eats what she kills.
Here's the thing: I think this book would've been better as a novella. Dorothy is, once you get into her head and used to her voice, a little one-note. I felt less and less entranced as the story continued... the chapters began to feel repetitive. I honestly don't know how to separate that sensation from the fact that the writing itself is so damn stylish and lush and rich and full of words that felt perfectly pretentious for her character - maybe it's because the narrative plot itself is just a bit... thin. We know her trajectory from page one, so the surprises are few and the stakes are low.
Still - this book taps into something strange and cathartic. I hope it becomes a classic. Sex, food, Italy, art, killing men basically because they exist and are trash... what's not to love? I can barely shake off some of the food stuff and I wonder if I'll stay away from meat for a bit. That may have been part of the point, but Dorothy would be horrified. And maybe we should all channel Dorothy every once in a while. Classy, sassy, hungry, murderous AF. Sounds tempting to me.
A Certain Hunger on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads