This one had bit expectations to live up to with quotes like those from Stephen King and Sarah Pinborough, but it did just that, and more. One that I found hard to put down and walk away from, which tells you all you need to know. Really did have me gripped till the very end and have found myself recommending to several people already. Great read.

Based on true historical facts this winding story tells the tale of a desperately hopeless tragedy.

I loved the slow burn aspect and found it really gave me time to get to know the character and to become really invested in the storyline and the plot. we knew the outcome of the story from the very beginning which I found added more tension.
Although I wasn't entirely familiar with the Donner Party disaster of 1846 I thought Katsu did a great job of capturing and reimagining the optimism and horror of the tragedy.

This book was wonderfully suspenseful and the weave of historical and fantastical was truley brilliant.
I would recommend this book 100% to any historical and/or horror fans.

Some parts of this I enjoyed, others I found tedious and skipped over them. I'm not sure why this had to be a supernatural tale of a mysterious and nasty disease, when the tragedy of the Donner party made a compelling story in its own right. It didn't need this "Hunger" element and I think would have been a better story without it - there was enough to keep the reader compelled without it.

I was intrigued by the synopsis and expected something along the lines of Alive (The Story of the Andes Survivors) but I think I'd rather have read a factual account of the real life Donner party. For me the supernatural element was unfulfilling and not needed. Hard going and I found it hard to stay awake whilst reading. Sorry :(

This was a mix of actual history and some fiction to give it a bit of a bite. The Donner Journey from Illinois to California which became a tragedy. Scary story.

A historical drama, based on terrifying true events, The Hunger is the story of the Donner Party whose attempt to make a dangerous crossing to California from the Midwest leads to tragedy. Impeccable research and characterisation, the author blends fiction with fact with elements of the supernatural.

A fantastic read. Thoroughly enjoyed this and it is not something I would usually pick up. Will look for more from this author in future.

The hunger .. based on a true story was a very good read indeed, superbly written by the author.
I’ve never quite read anything like it before it was quite strange.

Alma Katsu has combined historical fact, fiction and the supernatural into one stunning story in The Hunger. Based on the true story of the Donner-Reed Party, two families set out from Springfield, Illinois and join up with a much larger party, who are migrating to the Mexican territory of California in pursuit of a better life. It is 1846 and the 90 pioneers face a perilous 2000 mile journey through the Great Salt Lake Desert and beyond via Utah’s Wasatch mountain range. They are the last group to leave Independence, Missouri, that year and as the external forces of nature, extreme weather conditions and inhospitable terrain, tighten their stranglehold on the wagon train, so too the settlers are besieged and divided by infighting, power struggles and class differences.
After much disagreement, instead of choosing the well-travelled Oregon trail, the Party opt for a little known route called the Hastings cut-off, which had not been trialled by wagons, but it promised to shave 350 miles off their journey. But this ‘shortcut’ leads them to impassable landscapes, putting them weeks behind schedule. After enduring blisteringly hot days crossing barren plains, they come up against snow-driven, impenetrable mountain passes when the worst blizzards of the century descend. Snowbound and on the point of starvation, many of the survivors resort to cannibalism to survive.
This true story is both morbidly fascinating and shocking in equal measure even before the fictional and supernatural elements are added in to the mix. The author informs us that she has adhered closely to the events. Where she has veered away is in her re-imagining of the men and women of the party. Whilst some were true pioneers looking for new opportunities, others were running away from crime, shame or a troubled past.
It’s in her re-interpretation of many of the characters and their backgrounds that we leave behind the hard facts of the story and move into this fictional realm, her poetic license gifting us with rich, easily visualised characterisation, which in turn reveals how the splits within the group opened up, ultimately leading to disintegration. The way the group becomes splintered and distrustful of other families, only looking out for themselves is a fascinating study in its own right. As bizarre and tragic as this story is, it’s the re-enactment of these rifts and the vivid personalities/interactions that capture our imagination.
As well as the forces of nature, the pioneers are beset by supernatural forces. Firstly, cattle go missing and then children start to disappear, later to be found under horrific circumstances, driving fear into their hearts. Some of them become plagued with sickness and a strange disease. Indians and wolves are blamed and individuals suspected, but don’t explain the threatening shadows surrounding and hunting them. As more of the group become aware of being stalked by a sinister force, some start to wonder if the evil spirits pursuing them are the manifestation of their own sins catching up with them, transformed into a malevolent power that is now preying on them with an insatiable hunger. The supernatural elements interface with some of the superstitions of the day; their fears of witchcraft, evil spirits and Indian myths overlapping.
The Hunger starts off tense and is unrelenting and doom-laden, but draws us in with a morbid terror. Since reading this I was intrigued to read up on more of the factual history of the Donner-Reed Party and I discovered that there’s enough material for another book from where the author left off. There were three more rescue parties going in over a period of months whilst dramatic events continued to beset the remaining survivors at Truckee Lake and plenty of material relating to what became of the survivors. So it would be great to read a sequel to this. The Hunger is certainly a book that I won’t forget in a hurry and I thank Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Alma Katsu for the opportunity to read and review it.

A well written tale based on a true historical story; not my normal style of reading but one that I just couldn't stop reading. Setting off on the wagon trail for a better future provides for an interesting and a little disturbing read. The stuff of nightmares and perfect when you want something with a little more depth. Well worth reading.

This literally had me turning the pages at such speed. Loved it and didn't want it to finish

After having travelled west for weeks, the party of pioneers comes to a crossroads. It is time for their leader, George Donner, to make a choice. They face two diverging paths which lead to the same destination. One is well-documented – the other untested, but rumoured to be shorter.

Donner’s decision will shape the lives of everyone travelling with him. The searing heat of the desert gives way to biting winds and a bitter cold that freezes the cattle where they stand. Driven to the brink of madness, the ill-fated group struggles to survive and minor disagreements turn into violent confrontations. Then the children begin to disappear. As the survivors turn against each other, a few begin to realise that the threat they face reaches beyond the fury of the natural elements, to something more primal and far more deadly.

Based on the true story of The Donner Party, The Hunger is an eerie, shiver-inducing exploration of human nature, pushed to its breaking point.

This was definitely something new for me. I am not from the USA, so the stories of the pioneers and the Donner Party specifically are largely unknown to me.
I was interested to learn about their journeys to the newly discovered places in the West. I found the tale to be historically believable (I am not informed enough on USA history to comment on it's accuracy), and that combined with the supernatural mix was both scary and engaging.
I enjoyed the character's back stories that were slotted throughout the novel, showing their motivation undertaking the journey, and their flaws and what lead to their ultimate demise (for most).Overall the characterisation was strong.
I felt that it really did paint a picture of the hardship suffered by these pioneers, some brave, others running from their past. The levels of suspense were high throughout, with a lot of tension The supernatural element was also well done, we were left undecided as to what was really happening with the "infected" ones. Was it a disease, or was it possession?
All in all a very interesting book to read, although not necessarily easy in places.

I don't know why it took me so long to get through this novel because I enjoyed it. I don't think I have read anything about American pioneers, but I still enjoyed this twist on this novel, adding a spooky aspect overall.
It took a while for me to get my head around all the different characters and keep track of them but once I did, I found the novel so much enjoyable. Because I studied American history, I thought it helped my reading this novel; overall I enjoyed this novel. I thought the writing was really well done.

This is a brilliant and chilling read, apparently based on a true story, of the Donner Party, a well known story in America. I did not know of it myself, but I will seek it out after reading this. Starting off with a hopeful wagon train heading West toward California, it details the trials and difficulties faced by the party, however things take a turn for the worse, as the 2000 mile journey unfolds and the trail gets more and more difficult. Bad decisions are made, and the characters begin to fall out with each other, superstition,takes over and with the ever present threat of hunger, danger and lack of water. begins to take its toll on the pioneers. The perilous route, is also fraught by the presence of wolves, that seem to be following them.
The characterisation is brilliant, you really identify with many of them, and their hardships, it must have taken such bravery to embark on these wagon trains, knowing nothing about the outcome, route or what to expect if you finally got to your destination..
Although the book is fairly long, you are always enthralled by the story with its lurking, brooding ever present supernatural element. of danger and ow everyone turn on each other..
I would like to thank Net Galley for letting me read and review.

This is another one of those books that walks the tightrope between crime thriller and horror - of late, I have really enjoyed these type of stories. It is based on the Donner party tragedy where a party of pioneers travelling across the American West searching for a better life experience a nightmare. Most Americans have heard this tale, but being British, I had not come across it before. I looked it up and was instantly fascinated by it. This is, at its heart, a thriller but one that draws on American history and features a supernatural element. This amalgamation of genres makes for a thoroughly intriguing read. I found myself thinking about it in the time between reading and long after finishing it.

THE HUNGER gets into your head. It's a truly chilling and disturbing read, something I very much appreciated. It is a slow-burn which works well with the setting and the story. The mixture of fact and fiction is done seamlessly, Katsu manages to create an unnerving atmosphere throughout, a feeling of dread, and as everything unfolds, it becomes more and more sinister.

A strong and complex portrayal of the times, I can't say how well the true story was adapted into fiction as I was not familiar with it before this book. One slight gripe I had was that there were a LOT of characters, so at times it was a little confusing as the POV changes between several different people.

I would like to thank Alma Katsu, Random House UK - Transworld, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu is based on the true events of Donner Party tragedy where a party of pioneers travelling west came to a crossroads and the leader, George Donner had to make a decision to take the well documented but longer route across the desert towards California, or to take the untested path, which was rumoured to be far shorter. His decision could mean life or death to the families travelling with him.

It's kind of funny that the first time I heard of the Donner Party was on one of my favourite horror films, The Shining, written by Stephen King and directed Stanley Kubrick. Jack Nicholson acting as the character Jack Torrance, mentions the Donner Party and it's how the name came about for the Donner Pass on Interstate 80 in Northern California. Since hearing about this in the film I was eager to look it up, so when I read the synopsis of The Hunger, I had to read it!

This book is broken up into monthly sections starting from June 1846 to April 1847. The latter of which is actually the prologue and supplies the details of the findings of one man, Lewis Keseberg, the last known survivor of the Donna Party event. This makes for an intriguing hook for the rest of the book and I couldn't wait to see what had happened. Why had no one else survived?

The Hunger is an atmospheric re-imagining of the Donner Party disaster, which blends true horror with the supernatural and is ideal for historical, paranormal and even dark horror fans! It's full of drama, mystery, intrigue and is downright spooky. The tension Alma Katsu adds, it amazing! I really sympathised for the families, those that had no idea what was going on, and even those that were forced to survive the only way they knew how. I don't think I've ever read a story about Westward migration that is so chilling! This is a study of human endurance tested to its very limits - and beyond. How far would YOU go in order to survive?

The Hunger by Alma Katsu is a story about the Donner Party, comprising pioneers, people who were looking for a better life in the American West. They formed a wagon train under the leadership of George Donner and James Reed making their way west to California in 1846. This is historical fiction based on the true story of the Donner Party. I knew nothing about the history so it was all fascinating to me – especially as I’m always drawn to stories of pioneers.

Alma Katsu has taken the basic facts and has woven a fictional tale around them to explain what happened. She lists the sources she has used and explains where she has varied from the actual facts and added fictional characters. The Donner Party did set out to get to California, and they did take what was supposed to be a short cut that promised to cut 300 miles off their journey, following a trail called the Hastings Cutoff, from Fort Bridger, Wyoming and this proved to be their downfall – it wasn’t a short cut.

It took them into the Great Salt Lake Desert, a much harder and longer route, a long hard dry drive without water and without feed for the animals. So by the time they got to the Oregon trail to take them over the Sierra Nevada mountains it was late in the season, at the beginning of November and their way was blocked by heavy snowfall. The snow was head deep and impenetrable. Their supplies were low, many of them died of starvation, and some of them resorted to eating their animals and it is supposed, the deceased members of the group.

The facts alone are fascinating, but with Alma Katsu’s fiction interwoven with hints of the supernatural and Indian myths it becomes a thrilling, spine tingling horrific tale. And above all it is well written, describing the landscape the wagon trail takes through the heat of the desert, the lonely deserted plains, the isolated forts along the way, the forests where they had to hack a trail through, and the freezing cold of the snow filled mountains that finally blocked their way.

It has an impressive cast list of men, women and children, explaining their back stories and drawing a realistic picture of what their lives were like on the trail – their friendships, rivalries and hostilities, the ways they managed to survive and how they reacted to the frightening rumours of Indian rituals, especially when their children begin to disappear. It is a tense, menacing tale full of hope and also of desperation. I loved all of it.

Many thanks to Random House UK for a review copy via NetGalley.

I'm not sure why Katsu decided to make this a supernatural horrorwhen the true story is frightening enough. As it is, it isn't really tense enough to evoke the kind of claustrophobic fear there should be in a group of people being stalked by unknown forces.

Slow to get going and disappointingly abrupt when it does, I can't help but feel that Katsu's style would have worked better if this had been pure historical fiction.

Distrubing and difficult to get through at times but a fully compelling story of a terrible adventure gone wrong. I didn’t know anything about the inspiration for this novel but it wasn’t a problem.

In Spring 1846, George Donner packs up his family and his belongings, points his wagons westward, and heads for a new life in California. After joining up with another party, Donner makes a decision that not everyone will live to regret. As tensions build amongst the smaller cliques within the larger caravan, it becomes clear that the party are being stalked by something, something that is taking their children and leaving their spent bodies along the trail. Winter arrives quickly, and the Donner party find themselves still in the mountains, with no shelter and no means of escape except to continue on the treacherous road ahead. When the wagons can no longer move, and the food begins to run out, the party must contemplate the unthinkable if any of them are to survive.

We’ve all heard of the Donner Party. Like Scott’s ill-fated journey to the South Pole, or George Armstrong Custer’s ill-fated stand at Little Bighorn (anyone else seeing a pattern here?), the fate of George Donner and his fellow travellers is a moment of history that seems to be embedded in the human consciousness, something that we’re aware of without necessarily knowing the details. Alma Katsu’s latest novel mixes fact and fiction, doing for the Donner Party what Dan Simmons’ The Terror did for John Franklin’s expedition to find the Northwest Passage.

As the novel opens, the group are already on their way towards California, their numbers swollen by the absorption of another party travelling in the same direction. Charles Stanton, the only man in the party without a family to worry about, keeps himself mostly to himself, watching the dynamics of the group as cliques form and enmities fester as the group continues westward. When the first child is taken, and later found farther along the trail, mutilated and incomplete, some of the men begin to fear that they are being tracked by some beast. Stanton fears that the beast is closer at hand, a member of their party.

When the party reaches Fort Bridger, George Donner makes a decision that will spell doom for many of the people who follow him. Taking an untested route which promises to shave hundreds of miles off the journey, the party eventually become stuck, snowed in and slowly running out of food, frightened of beasts that are now, without a doubt, shadowing their every move.

Told from the viewpoints of Charles Stanton and George Donner’s third wife, Tamsen, who many believe to be a witch, The Hunger mixes fact with fiction, and adds a dash of the supernatural to create a story that is gripping and chilling in equal measure. Despite knowing how this will end, Katsu still manages to surprise us while wonderfully evoking the tensions and hardships faced by a group of people travelling thousands of miles, drawn onwards by little more than the promise of a new life at the other end.

The hint of supernatural is a wonderful touch, but it’s the human contingent who turn out to be the evil at the heart of this story. Katsu teases us with hints of gruesome Indian ceremonies, and tales of men driven mad by the area through which the Donner party is travelling, but The Hunger is, by its very nature, a slow-moving story that wends its way, inexorably, towards the inevitable destination. It’s a story designed to leave the reader feeling uneasy, and it succeeds in doing so: faced with the question of what we, ourselves, might do to survive in this same situation, the reader becomes a silent – but no less complicit – member of the group.

The Hunger owes much to Simmons’ aforementioned The Terror, but Alma Katsu makes the story her own, evoking the exhaustion of constant travel, fear of the unknown and the dreaded cold of winter in the mountains so that the reader feels every mile of the journey, held captive by the story until it’s done. The characters are beautifully-drawn and play a huge role in making us want to keep reading: they leap fully-formed from the page, and we become invested in their eventual fate.

One of the finest horror novels written in the past handful of years, The Hunger is a modern classic-in-waiting, and Alma Katsu is, without a doubt, a writer to watch very carefully. This is one you don’t want to miss.