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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An intoxicatingly gothic, dark academia fantasy exploring desire and the toxicity of obsession— I genuinely didn’t want to put this put down!
Firstly, I just have to say I loved Francesca May’s debut, Wild and Wicked Things so was beyond excited for the chance to read her newest release. And I’m glad to say it’s just as deliciously gothic and atmospheric! With a sapphic, Rappacini’s Daughter-edge to May’s haunting prose that burrowed under my skin and had me desperate to know how things ended.
The dark academia setting was a gothic feast for the senses too, and I was fascinated by forbidden longing, poisonous double standards and cloying sense of oppression that pervades soo much of our protagonist, Thora’s life.
A recently widowed woman, whose longing to study botany has outlasted both her father, and her husband. Thora was a complex and incredibly compelling character to explore, though not necessarily likeable in the way most MCs are.
Fuelled by her new freedoms and mentorship with the eccentric Dr. Petaccia (the only female botanist on staff and an expert in her field), Thora’s studies have given her a new sense of confidence and purpose.
But it’s her unrelenting hunger and desire for more (knowledge, power, emotional connection) and infatuation with the mysterious Olea that really got me turning the pages.
And with not one but two morally grey characters; Petaccia, the demanding, yet aloof professor, and Olea, the beautifully alluring woman bound to an unusual garden (locked from the outside)— I honestly felt like all my christmasses had come at once!
I will say, it is more of a slow burn read (so do take that into consideration), but with the prose, visceral imagery and immersive setting it’s definitely a book you’ll want to experience in all its decadent glory.
Overall, a poisonously addictive tale of ambition, desire, beauty and obsession that all gothic fantasy lovers need to consider adding to their TBRs this autumn!
Also thanks to Nazia and Orbit UK for the stunning finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Self harm, Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Vomit, Death of parent
Minor: Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Orbit Books for the advanced copy of this book!
This was a lush, atmospheric gothic romance that really hooked me from the start! Though it fell a bit flat around halfway through in terms of plot, the writing was beautiful and I felt like the raw obsession of this book was very visceral. I loved the concept of the poisonous secret garden, and the mystery of it all was very intriguing!
The pacing was really well done in the first half and I was absolutely ravenous for this book, but things seemed to fall off in the second half, slowing to what felt like a standstill and causing me to lose interest a bit. I feel like the ending left some thing to be desired, though I appreciated the commentary on ethics in science and the way some people will justify the means to an end!
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to someone looking for a specific vibe, but it likely won’t become a go-to recommendation for me!
This was a lush, atmospheric gothic romance that really hooked me from the start! Though it fell a bit flat around halfway through in terms of plot, the writing was beautiful and I felt like the raw obsession of this book was very visceral. I loved the concept of the poisonous secret garden, and the mystery of it all was very intriguing!
The pacing was really well done in the first half and I was absolutely ravenous for this book, but things seemed to fall off in the second half, slowing to what felt like a standstill and causing me to lose interest a bit. I feel like the ending left some thing to be desired, though I appreciated the commentary on ethics in science and the way some people will justify the means to an end!
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to someone looking for a specific vibe, but it likely won’t become a go-to recommendation for me!
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Where do I start with this review. Quite honestly I wish I had DNF’d this book at 25% like I wanted to. If this wasn’t as ARC, I absolutely would have done but I pushed through because I hate to DNF an ARC. Sadly it was not worth it.
Let me start with a positive. This was full of lush, dark prose and the setting of a poisonous secret garden was intriguing, beautiful and eerie at times. Perfect for a gothic fantasy.
But for me, that was the only positive and even that became a negative as the pacing was incredibly slow. The lush, descriptive prose became excessive and repetitive which made me want to bypass pages that, in my opinion, added nothing of value to the story.
I think my biggest issue, other than the pacing, was the characters. I didn’t like any of them. Now that was possibly what the author wanted as they are described as ‘morally grey women’ but that doesn’t mean you should feel indifferent towards them, which I often did. I wasn’t invested in them and therefore I wasn’t interested in their story. I thought things might pick up when we met the mysterious Olea but whilst my interest was mildly peaked for a chapter or two, it didn’t last.
Overall this book was just not for me. I was bored and didn’t look forward to picking it back up anytime I’d put it down which is usually my sign to call it a day and read something else. Plus the ending was abrupt and such a disappointment.
If you don’t mind a slow pace story which is heavy on descriptive, scientific and botanical language with morally grey characters and an element of sapphic yearning and infatuation then you might enjoy this one.
TW:
- Talk of suicide
- Murder
- Domestic abuse
- Animal testing
- Disordered eating
- Poisoning
2 ⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher (Little Brown Book Group UK) for providing a copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.
Atmospheric, gothic, beautifully written.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and I enjoyed how different it is.
I really enjoyed the in depth botanical element
This is more horror than romance even though it’s sold as a sapphic gothic romance.
The ending was a bit repetitive
I feel like there’s going to be a sequel
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and I enjoyed how different it is.
I really enjoyed the in depth botanical element
This is more horror than romance even though it’s sold as a sapphic gothic romance.
The ending was a bit repetitive
I feel like there’s going to be a sequel
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I had hoped to be fully captivated by This Vicious Hunger, and while parts of me were—especially the lush gothic atmosphere and intoxicating twists—the book ultimately didn’t land as strongly as I’d like.
What worked for me: The world-building is sensual and richly rendered, particularl
Where it fell short: The pacing is deeply uneven. The intense atmospheric build-up often drags into sluggish stretches between relevant plot developments. Character development is limited. Thora shows occasional hints of change, such as self-reflection on a “past self,” but lacking earlier context, it never resonates. Olea and other players remain flat and under-explored, leaving emotional arcs unanchored.Conversations feel overly repetitive, with characters cycling through the same arguments day-to-day. There’s persistent tension and sex, but very little conversation, evolution, or resolution to their dynamics.
The ending—while surprising—felt abrupt and underdeveloped. After investing in the build-up, it comes to a halt without proper resolution.
The ending—while surprising—felt abrupt and underdeveloped. After investing in the build-up, it comes to a halt without proper resolution.
Overall Verdict:
I appreciated the gothic writing style and haunting premise. The themes of obsession and botanical mystique are compelling. Unfortunately, the uneven pacing, repetitive dialogue, shallow character arcs, and abrupt ending left me feeling unfulfilled. The book had the potential to be a captivating dark fantasy, but struggled to fully deliver.
I appreciated the gothic writing style and haunting premise. The themes of obsession and botanical mystique are compelling. Unfortunately, the uneven pacing, repetitive dialogue, shallow character arcs, and abrupt ending left me feeling unfulfilled. The book had the potential to be a captivating dark fantasy, but struggled to fully deliver.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Unfortunately I ended up putting this one down and could not convince myself to continue with it 😥 reading this felt like trying to get through thick sludge. At times the true gothic vibes were present but it was pretty inconsistent which kinda ruined it for me and I was so so so looking forward to this book.
I am intrigued to see what Francesca May releases in the future just based on vibes of This Vicious Hunger but I don't see myself picking this up anytime soon. I may give it another go once released.
Thankyou to Francesca May, Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for an ARC of This Vicious Hunger.
I am intrigued to see what Francesca May releases in the future just based on vibes of This Vicious Hunger but I don't see myself picking this up anytime soon. I may give it another go once released.
Thankyou to Francesca May, Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for an ARC of This Vicious Hunger.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK/ Orbit for a free e-ARC of 'This Vicious Hunger' by Francesca May.
The book follows Thora, the daughter of an undertaker, trying to adjust to her new life after both her father and her newly betrothed husband die shortly after one another - finding herself completely alone. 'This Vicious Hunger' appears to be set at some point in the fictional past, where women are only expected to be wives and mothers. Luckily, Thora is offered an opportunity to work under an old friend of her father - a botanist at a university. Many mysteries begin to unfold after she stumbles upon a strange garden and the ethereal woman who appears to live there.
'This Vicious Hunger' was such an enjoyable gothic queer read - which seem to be my favourite at the moment! It is such an interesting commentary on the complexities of freedom as a woman, especially queer women, in the time the book is set. It seems that no matter how hard Thora tries, she remains caged in one way or another. There were so many twists and turns and I was completely hooked.
I only have a minimal number of criticisms - I spent 4 hours straight into the night finishing the latter half of this book as I was so gripped! The first is that I would have liked a little more worldbuilding around where the characters in the world are based (this may be my fantasy bias showing), but there were many times I was wondering where this was set and more about the context of this, then realising it was a fictional place, but other than the context of the time, there wasn't much else to go off of. There were also some phrases and words that felt a little too overused throughout the book for my liking. Lastly, without spoilers, poor Leo really got the brunt of a lot of things throughout the story!
The book follows Thora, the daughter of an undertaker, trying to adjust to her new life after both her father and her newly betrothed husband die shortly after one another - finding herself completely alone. 'This Vicious Hunger' appears to be set at some point in the fictional past, where women are only expected to be wives and mothers. Luckily, Thora is offered an opportunity to work under an old friend of her father - a botanist at a university. Many mysteries begin to unfold after she stumbles upon a strange garden and the ethereal woman who appears to live there.
'This Vicious Hunger' was such an enjoyable gothic queer read - which seem to be my favourite at the moment! It is such an interesting commentary on the complexities of freedom as a woman, especially queer women, in the time the book is set. It seems that no matter how hard Thora tries, she remains caged in one way or another. There were so many twists and turns and I was completely hooked.
I only have a minimal number of criticisms - I spent 4 hours straight into the night finishing the latter half of this book as I was so gripped! The first is that I would have liked a little more worldbuilding around where the characters in the world are based (this may be my fantasy bias showing), but there were many times I was wondering where this was set and more about the context of this, then realising it was a fictional place, but other than the context of the time, there wasn't much else to go off of. There were also some phrases and words that felt a little too overused throughout the book for my liking. Lastly, without spoilers, poor Leo really got the brunt of a lot of things throughout the story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Grief
Moderate: Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Murder
dark
slow-paced
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I found the first half of this book quite interesting while the latter half made me feel like I was experiencing a high school production of Waiting for Gadot. Everything was just so repetitive and not in absurdist way, it was painful. Part of the issue for me is that I still don’t really get Olea’s deal. Is she naive? Is she very observant and conniving? A character can hold multitudes, but she wasn’t fleshed out enough for me and it instead felt like a lack of development on the part of the author. If you’re intrigued by themes like the insatiable hunger of oppressed women I would recommend Kat Dunn’s Hungerstone. If you want some toxic sapphics in a dark academia setting give S.T. Gibson’s An Education in Malice a try.
CW: murder, suicidal ideation, death of a parent, self harm explicit on page, disordered eating explicit on page, gore, blood
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
CW: murder, suicidal ideation, death of a parent, self harm explicit on page, disordered eating explicit on page, gore, blood
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Gore, Self harm, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 / 5 stars
This book was unfortunately disappointing and ultimately quite frustrating, because it had promise, but ended up falling far short. The main positive about this book was the writing style, which I did enjoy reading. But that’s really the only positive I can think of, though it did have a large enough impact on my reading experience that I am rounding my 2.5 star score up (for goodreads and netgalley). While I wouldn’t say that the book truly succeeds in creating a gothic atmosphere, it does still manage to impart the eerie and lonely nature of Thora’s existence quite well.
Now to the not so good things. Really my biggest issue is the ending, which does not feel like an ending. I completely understand that whether or not you like open endings is up to personal preference, but I honestly can’t see anyone, even someone who loves open endings, being content with this. Because this ‘ending’ feels like it’s supposed to go right before the actual ending. Like the author ran out of time and decided «eh, good enough» and just handed in the manuscript sans-ending.
The characters were one of the more frustrating parts of the book, because they are actually interesting and layered, but then their story doesn’t really go anywhere. Look at the protagonist, Thora, for instance; she grew up somewhat isolated from the normal world, as a result of being an undertaker’s daughter and having lost her mother early in her life. Her father married her off to a seedy man because he was dying (something that he only told Thora about shortly before his death), since a woman couldn’t really survive alone in their society and the guy was the only man who would take Thora, unappealing as she is. A few weeks after their wedding, her abusive husband dies and her in laws just want to get rid of her, so they shuffle her off on some professor of botany at the local university who offered to take her under their wing - even though women are not usually allowed to get a university education. Thora quickly realises that there is something strange about her new mentor’s work, but she’s unwilling to say anything about it because this position is her last resort, and without it she would have nowhere left to go. Like, that is absolutely a great constellation of circumstances to make a fascinating character, but again the deeply unsatisfying ending just makes it all seem pointless.
The romance between Thora and Olea is also just very disappointing. The character of Olea also starts with an intriguing basis to her character, but more and more she just starts becoming annoying and repetitive. There is some chemistry between Olea and Thora in the first half of the book, only for it to completely disappear by the halfway mark, even though their romance is the axis which this whole story orbits around.
In general there are just a lot of weird author choices throughout the book. Like, why are all of the names Italian (Petaccia, Niccolo, Leonardo, Elianto), but then the protagonist’s name is Thora Grieve???? Why is this set in a fictional, albeit vaguely Italian-inspired, world, yet the characters reference figures from Greek mythology and smallpox? Who thought «speak in the plain fucking common tongue» sounded good? Why is this tagged as adult fiction but reads as YA all the way through, except for the sex scenes maybe. So yeah. Quite disappointed.
---
Thank you to Orbit/Little, Brown UK for the ARC
This book was unfortunately disappointing and ultimately quite frustrating, because it had promise, but ended up falling far short. The main positive about this book was the writing style, which I did enjoy reading. But that’s really the only positive I can think of, though it did have a large enough impact on my reading experience that I am rounding my 2.5 star score up (for goodreads and netgalley). While I wouldn’t say that the book truly succeeds in creating a gothic atmosphere, it does still manage to impart the eerie and lonely nature of Thora’s existence quite well.
Now to the not so good things. Really my biggest issue is the ending, which does not feel like an ending. I completely understand that whether or not you like open endings is up to personal preference, but I honestly can’t see anyone, even someone who loves open endings, being content with this. Because this ‘ending’ feels like it’s supposed to go right before the actual ending. Like the author ran out of time and decided «eh, good enough» and just handed in the manuscript sans-ending.
The characters were one of the more frustrating parts of the book, because they are actually interesting and layered, but then their story doesn’t really go anywhere. Look at the protagonist, Thora, for instance; she grew up somewhat isolated from the normal world, as a result of being an undertaker’s daughter and having lost her mother early in her life. Her father married her off to a seedy man because he was dying (something that he only told Thora about shortly before his death), since a woman couldn’t really survive alone in their society and the guy was the only man who would take Thora, unappealing as she is. A few weeks after their wedding, her abusive husband dies and her in laws just want to get rid of her, so they shuffle her off on some professor of botany at the local university who offered to take her under their wing - even though women are not usually allowed to get a university education. Thora quickly realises that there is something strange about her new mentor’s work, but she’s unwilling to say anything about it because this position is her last resort, and without it she would have nowhere left to go. Like, that is absolutely a great constellation of circumstances to make a fascinating character, but again the deeply unsatisfying ending just makes it all seem pointless.
The romance between Thora and Olea is also just very disappointing. The character of Olea also starts with an intriguing basis to her character, but more and more she just starts becoming annoying and repetitive. There is some chemistry between Olea and Thora in the first half of the book, only for it to completely disappear by the halfway mark, even though their romance is the axis which this whole story orbits around.
In general there are just a lot of weird author choices throughout the book. Like, why are all of the names Italian (Petaccia, Niccolo, Leonardo, Elianto), but then the protagonist’s name is Thora Grieve???? Why is this set in a fictional, albeit vaguely Italian-inspired, world, yet the characters reference figures from Greek mythology and smallpox? Who thought «speak in the plain fucking common tongue» sounded good? Why is this tagged as adult fiction but reads as YA all the way through, except for the sex scenes maybe. So yeah. Quite disappointed.
---
Thank you to Orbit/Little, Brown UK for the ARC