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melissa_b_67 's review for:
Hungerstone
by Kat Dunn
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for the ARC of Hungerstone by Kat Dunn, in exchange for my honest review.
I was drawn to this book by the exquisite cover and compelling premise, hinting of vampires, as well as gothic horror. I always love a good retelling, and Hungerstone by Kat Dunn, promised just that in her reworking of the classic, Carmilla.
Hungerstone, a genre mashup of historical fiction, gothic horror, and sapphic romance, features Lenore, a young, barren wife, who dutifully, but to her own detriment, follows the rules and social norms for women during the time of the industrial revolution. Lenore, who has hungers that cannot be satiated, but must be concealed, narrates her story for us, as she alternates between present and past timelines. When an unknown woman, Carmilla, is injured in a carriage crash near the newly acquisitioned summer home of Lenore and her husband Henry, Lenore’s carefully crafted, safe life begins to unravel.
What I loved about this book was the atmospheric writing. Dunn does a beautiful job immersing the reader into the hazy, summer heat of high society England during the industrial revolution. Likewise, the larger horror of greed in an industrial society juxtaposed with some possibly supernatural horrors is unsettling and eerie.
Lenore’s story of love, loss, abandonment, and grief, is central throughout, but sometimes gets a bit repetitive. Many of the most compelling parts of the book for me, involved the mysterious Carmilla, who also plays a role, not only in Lenore’s unravelling, but also her self-discovery.
Where Hungerstone fell short for me was the author’s choice to give the reader barely more than a whisper of Carmilla. A more flushed out Carmilla character study would have been a thoroughly satisfying read in my opinion.
Overall, Hungerstone, is a wild ride, and offers a solid reading experience for lovers of gothic horror with a side of feminist rage.
This book contains blood, gore, and body horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting
Moderate: Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship