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A review by fictionmajorette
The Hunger by Alma Katsu
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Full thoughts: https://fictionmajorette.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-hunger-alma-katsu.html
I liked this book while I was reading it. I really liked it when I finished it. And the longer I sit and let the story percolate in my brain, the more I really really love it. This story ended up not being exactly what I thought it would be but in the best possible way. What I was expecting was a book that really focused in on the winter and the cannibalism/survival elements that most people know about the Donner Party. I was expecting a ton more gore or on-the-page violence and for the supernatural element to be either a figment of the characters' imaginations or super visible and integral to the story. What I got instead, was a quietly horrifying story that centers mostly on what humanity and civilization mean and how quickly those lines in the sand can be crossed when survival is on the line.
What I found really interesting was the balance between outside and inside threats woven throughout the story. At the start of the story, there are the stereotypical tales of some of the Native American tribes sacrificing people or attacking the white settlers as they pass through. However, we are shown through multiple interactions that the Native Americans in the area are wary of the settlers but are not outwardly hostile. In fact, the main threats come from inside the wagon train community. There are some members of the party who wish to talk to the tribes and learn from them, but most of the members are either actively hostile and racist toward them or at the very least heavily prejudiced. This tension was highlighted time and time again when Native Americans were shown to be helpful to the white settlers but the settlers themselves couldn't see past their own racist ideas so as soon as something went awry, they were blaming the Native Americans even if a more rational explanation was that someone in their own party was responsible. Katsu gives an explanation in the note at the end of the book that she was very intentional with balancing the general mindset of the times from the settlers with thoughtful and balanced representation from the Native American side. I think evaluating this idea of 'us' vs 'them' is always really interesting, but especially so in times of extreme stress.
I've said it before in other reviews, but I'm 100% a character-driven reader and Katsu is masterful at characters in this story. We bounce between multiple characters in the party as well as back and forth in time. Plus, there are multiple other characters who we see a lot even if we are never directly following them. There were about 90 members in the Donner Party so Katsu had a lot of characters and interpersonal relationships to build (we obviously don't get introduced to all 90 characters, but still). Katsu also develops really extensive backstories for the characters that we learn as the book progresses which helps explain some of their actions in the present situation. These backstories also serve to show the reader that none of the people on this wagon train are perfect, a lot of them are escaping their pasts with this move to California. Getting to know these characters in such detail when you know what they're eventually going to endure is heartbreaking and I found myself rooting for them despite knowing what was going to happen.
Overall, this was a fantastic read even if it wasn't exactly what I was expecting when I started. Great character development, horror elements were used expertly and not overdone, good balance between factual historical fiction and more flowery story. I had to slow down my reading to make sure I could absorb all the information that was on the page, but I always wanted to come back after I put the book down.
I liked this book while I was reading it. I really liked it when I finished it. And the longer I sit and let the story percolate in my brain, the more I really really love it. This story ended up not being exactly what I thought it would be but in the best possible way. What I was expecting was a book that really focused in on the winter and the cannibalism/survival elements that most people know about the Donner Party. I was expecting a ton more gore or on-the-page violence and for the supernatural element to be either a figment of the characters' imaginations or super visible and integral to the story. What I got instead, was a quietly horrifying story that centers mostly on what humanity and civilization mean and how quickly those lines in the sand can be crossed when survival is on the line.
What I found really interesting was the balance between outside and inside threats woven throughout the story. At the start of the story, there are the stereotypical tales of some of the Native American tribes sacrificing people or attacking the white settlers as they pass through. However, we are shown through multiple interactions that the Native Americans in the area are wary of the settlers but are not outwardly hostile. In fact, the main threats come from inside the wagon train community. There are some members of the party who wish to talk to the tribes and learn from them, but most of the members are either actively hostile and racist toward them or at the very least heavily prejudiced. This tension was highlighted time and time again when Native Americans were shown to be helpful to the white settlers but the settlers themselves couldn't see past their own racist ideas so as soon as something went awry, they were blaming the Native Americans even if a more rational explanation was that someone in their own party was responsible. Katsu gives an explanation in the note at the end of the book that she was very intentional with balancing the general mindset of the times from the settlers with thoughtful and balanced representation from the Native American side. I think evaluating this idea of 'us' vs 'them' is always really interesting, but especially so in times of extreme stress.
I've said it before in other reviews, but I'm 100% a character-driven reader and Katsu is masterful at characters in this story. We bounce between multiple characters in the party as well as back and forth in time. Plus, there are multiple other characters who we see a lot even if we are never directly following them. There were about 90 members in the Donner Party so Katsu had a lot of characters and interpersonal relationships to build (we obviously don't get introduced to all 90 characters, but still). Katsu also develops really extensive backstories for the characters that we learn as the book progresses which helps explain some of their actions in the present situation. These backstories also serve to show the reader that none of the people on this wagon train are perfect, a lot of them are escaping their pasts with this move to California. Getting to know these characters in such detail when you know what they're eventually going to endure is heartbreaking and I found myself rooting for them despite knowing what was going to happen.
Overall, this was a fantastic read even if it wasn't exactly what I was expecting when I started. Great character development, horror elements were used expertly and not overdone, good balance between factual historical fiction and more flowery story. I had to slow down my reading to make sure I could absorb all the information that was on the page, but I always wanted to come back after I put the book down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Racism, Homophobia, and Body horror