THE HUNGER by Alma Katsu – Review

I received this book for free from the Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on March 6 2018
Genres: Adult, Horror
Pages: 400
Format: ARC
Source: Author
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The nitty-gritty: Dark, complex and terrifying, The Hunger fuses historical events with a creeping, supernatural horror, making this a standout book of 2018.

A quick note for those who might be sensitive to the use of the word “Indian” when talking about Native Americans: Please note that during the timeframe of these events, Native Americans were called “Indians.” The author’s use of the word “Indian” is historically correct, and I have also chosen to use it in this review.

Before I get started, I have to mention that this is one of those reviews when I could not stick to my normal 1000 words (I just talked about this in another post). The Hunger is packed full of characters, emotion and history. This review barely does it justice.

I’ve been following Alma Katsu’s writing career since I stumbled upon her deliciously dark debut The Taker back in 2012, and I’m thrilled to report that her talent, which was pretty impressive back then, has grown by leaps and bounds. The Hunger was stunning in every way possible. Not only is the writing beautiful and evocative, but the way she’s constructed her complex story made this an immersive experience that I won’t ever forget. The subject matter is both fascinating and gruesome. If you live in the United States, you no doubt know the story of the Donner Party, a group of pioneers who set out in the spring of 1846, headed for the promised land of California. Beset with bad luck and even worse weather, the members of the wagon train ended up stranded by the harsh winter snows of the Sierra Nevadas and ultimately resorted to cannibalism in order to survive. Katsu takes this well-known tale and gives it a supernatural spin, a sort of “what if” scenario that results in a blood-chillingly good story.

George Donner and his family join up with a large wagon train on its way to California, pioneers who are looking for a better life. Nearly ninety people make up the group, including loner Charles Stanton who is traveling by himself, and Donner takes on the role of leader as they try to decide which way to go. The trip could take up to five or six months, but they’ve left late in the year, and they’re worried that they won’t get through the mountain passes before winter hits. After hearing rumors of a shortcut called Hastings Cutoff, the men decide to try their luck. Unfortunately, Hastings Cutoff proves to be nearly impassable, and a power struggle among the families ensues. Provisions are dwindling, tempers are flaring, and worst of all, something sinister seems to following the group, attacking their livestock in the middle of the night and even picking off the children. Campfire tales of spirits and demons possessing men suddenly don’t seem so far-fetched. And as the members of the wagon train fight for survival, they face the real possibility of starving to death before they reach California.

Katsu’s story focuses on the characters and their backstories and complex relationships with each other, more so than the supernatural aspects—at first, anyway. Most of the characters are based on the real-life people who were part of the Donner Party (a quick check on Wikipedia confirmed it), which gives the story a chilling dose of reality. This is historical fiction at its best. Anyone who loves stories of the old west and the harsh conditions faced by settlers and pioneers will love The Hunger. I was mesmerized by the living conditions these people faced: huge families living together in small spaces with no privacy, the threat of Indian attacks, the dwindling supplies and the eventual hunger and thirst when they ran out, being forced to slaughter their cattle and oxen for food, and the realities of becoming sick in the wilderness with very little in the way of medical supplies. In one poignant scene, as the members of the wagon train realize they must leave everything they can behind in order to lighten the load, a father tells his little girl that she has to abandon her beloved doll. 

With such a large cast of characters, it could have become overwhelming and confusing, but Katsu manages to bring many of them to life. A few characters in particular grew on me, even though I didn’t like them in the beginning. Tamsen is Charles Donner’s wife, a woman with a dubious past who isn’t well liked among the pioneers. But as the story progresses, she shows true backbone and clearly cares about the people she’s surrounded by. Even the horrible Lewis Keseberg turned out to have a tragic past, which probably accounted for some of his behavior. These are rough characters living hard lives, and Katsu doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to making them believable.

The first sign of trouble comes early in the story when a young boy goes missing. They find him soon enough, but unfortunately he’s dead, his body savagely torn to pieces with little more than bones left. Katsu hints at the terror but never really explains what’s happening until nearly the end of the story.  At first the characters think they’re being followed by a pack of wolves, but later there are rumors of a mythic demon who devours humans and then inhabits their bodies. I loved the inclusion of Indian folklore, as one character tells stories of men who turn into beasts and devour other men. And if you’re thinking this is going to be graphically violent tale of people sitting around a campfire eating each other, you’ll be disappointed. Katsu’s horror is far more complex than that, and she brilliantly merges the supernatural aspects with the true story of cannibalism. 

The story includes flashback sequences that take place months and sometimes years before the journey, which give us important backstory information about the characters and their motivations, why they act they way they do now. Katsu also uses an epistolary style for one character, as Edwin Bryant, a journalist who is doing research on an Indian tribe, writes letters home to his wife, and later to Charles Stanton, explaining the challenges and fears he’s facing. I loved getting this first person perspective from one of the more level-headed characters, and I especially loved the way the tone of his letters goes from hopeful to resigned. We also find out Stanton’s terribly secret through flashbacks, something that is hinted at but never explained until the end. Flashbacks don’t always work well, but this time they do.

And can we just talk about Chapter Forty for a moment? It might be just me, but this chapter all by itself deserves an award. It’s one of the most heartbreaking and perfectly written pieces of writing I’ve ever encountered. I won’t tell you what happens in that chapter, but let’s just say one of my favorite characters encounters the monstrous creatures and things do not end well. It takes a lot to move me to tears, and trust me when I say I had tears streaming down my face by the end. Each word is perfectly placed, each detail painstakingly laid out. Katsu has a talent for focusing on details that wouldn’t normally seem important, but here they become crushingly so. Like the rest of the book, the horror in this chapter is palpable, but because we’ve come so far, and we’ve gotten to know the characters so well, the horror is much, much worse.

The Hunger has already been optioned for film, and may even be in production by now, which doesn’t surprise me in the least. This is Alma Katsu’s best book yet, and if you’ve never read her books before, then you are in for a treat. Start with The Hunger, you won’t be disappointed.

Big thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.