A review by jess_bythebook
Famine by Laura Thalassa

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I compared this newer one to the 2020 original version pretty much line by line and found quite a few alterations. The name of a minor character was changed to fit into the Brazilian environment more, there’s a spelling correction on a specific fruit, and a few phrases were lengthened or just taken out altogether. Even if the edits are only minor, they somehow make everything read so much more fluently and help you dive even further into this fantastic story!

“Over the last five years, my old anger towards Famine stayed with me like a scab, and now it’s as though he picked it open. He took everything from me twice. It’s time he pays.”

Ana da Silva is not your typical heroine. She’s had a pretty rough life - and that was before she met the horseman the first time. By the time he reappears, she’s built a wall around her heart to protect herself from ever being hurt again. But that doesn’t mean she can’t injure him.

“You are the devil.” 
“Nope,” Famine responds smoothly. “He’s nicer than me.”

As the third horseman, Famine is wild, untamed, and full of hatred. His detest of the human race oozes out of every action and seething word he speaks. And honestly, he’s got a few pretty good reasons. The only human he will not harm was the only one who ever showed him kindness. Using sex and sass to mask her fear and give her courage, Ana is along for the ride with this mythical man only to find out they’re more alike than either of them previously realized. 

When I read through this series the first time, Famine was so savage that I focused solely on his actions and overlooked all the small details. These are fully fleshed out characters with arcs that inspire passion to both love and hate them. And the deeper you go into Famine’s story, it’s easy to see why this horseman is absolutely one to be feared. 

“Believe it or not, you are not the worst thing to walk this earth.” The Reaper leans in close. “I am.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.