A review by nelemon
The Hunger by Alma Katsu

2.0

I really did not enjoy this. I’m just really glad it’s over and I finally finished reading this because it was such a slog. I was interested in the premise, but pretty much everything else in the novel didn’t work for me. The pacing was too slow, the characters too bland (this was probably my biggest problem: I didn’t care about anyone here), there were too many stupid love interests and not one but TWO incest situations, and the background of the horror that was happening did not work for me either. The atmosphere and sense of isolation and despair did not really come across for me either. The “big event” was glossed over and a lot happened “off the page”, so the ending was a big letdown for me too. 

I still think it’s a cool idea for a story and an interesting twist on the real historical event of the Donner Party disaster, which is why this is two stars for me and not one I guess. 

Very disappointed, especially because I was looking forward to reading this - I was sure I would like this. I will read the author’s The Fervor because I already have it on my shelf and it sounds interesting, but I will readjust my expectations for that one a lot.