Based on the true story of the Donner Party (https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-donnerparty/2/), wagon train a large number of families and a few single men set out for California in the hope of a better life.

Unbeknown to them the trail is previously untested and the harsh elements will soon wreak havoc on the group. An ominous note taken from an old cabin says “turn back or you will all die” does not bolster their initial optimism. When children go missing, the travellers suspect Indians in the absence of any other logical conclusion. The body of the first child is found ahead of them on the trail with the head intact and the body stripped of most flesh. The group start to realise the Indians are the least of their troubles as evil is invisible, lives amongst us and is waiting for them. Soon they will discover they cannot save themselves from the demons within or the ones waiting for them along the way.

I thought this was going to be a western when I started reading and I was a fair way off the mark. The author did a fantastic job of developing the characters, creating suspense and weaving a supernatural/horror thread into the mix. Describing this book as a Western vampire horror does not do justice to a great story.

A highly recommended read and one that took me a little by surprise. Get to know the characters, sometimes dislike them and understand their thoughts and feelings. You wont regret it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of a super read in return for an honest review.

Disturbing, challenging and spooky.

Made me want to research the pioneers and settlers of the USA and I am not surprised it has been picked up by a studio it will make a fascinating film!

Well I am shocked .... not because of the book, but because I chose to read it. Firstly let me say I would never have chosen this book and therefore am somewhat perplexed as to have found it on my reading list. Having said that I have to say that I did finish it and give myself a little pat on the back for doing so. The story apparently is based on a true story about American pioneers in the mid 1800s. Also not a genre I would usually pick, but somehow this story got under my fingernails. It’s a cross between brokeback mountain and St Agnes’ Last Stand. The characters are difficult tolikeand to keep track of sometimes but overall it’s always good to learn something historical whilst reading

The Hunger

Alma Katsu

4/5

Gripping, historical fiction mixed with the supernatural.

In 1846, George Donner and 86 other souls embarked on an ill fated trek across the continent seeking to settle in California. Ill prepared and woefully ignorant of the harsh surroundings and the desolate landscape, the group that came to be known as ‘The Donner Party’ found themselves at the mercy of the elements, their environment and worst of all, themselves.
Poor planning, a series of bad decisions, and early snowstorms, caused 60 of the original pioneers to become stranded in the mountains during winter. As hypothermia set in and food ran out, many resorted to that greatest of human taboos: cannibalism.

The elements and the terrain combine to frustrate the party, a child is lost and soon after, found dead and mutilated. Power struggles break out amongst the travellers and suspicion and loathing begins to spread. Mistrust and suspicion abound. The party slowly begins to be picked off and it gradually becomes clear that whatever cannibalistic creature may be lurking outside the circle of wagons, the real danger lies within the group itself.

Alma Katsu takes this horrifying grisly footnote in American history and effortlessly and compellingly mixes fact and fiction with a rich vein of horror thrown in. The author’s great skill is in keeping the novel engrossing, despite many having knowledge of the ‘real’ story. This is handled well with the characters being brought to life so effectively. There is a rich cast of characters and not one person takes centre stage. The story is told from alternating characters perspectives and it’s particularly impressive that the book doesn’t become confusing with so many characters and viewpoints. The use of back stories and well imagined characters ensures the book doesn’t get bogged down and muddled and this is achieved to great effect.

Of the characters, the most interesting are Tamsen Donner, who appears to dabble with the occult and who has an appetite for men (in more ways than one). Stanton, a single man with a past, and Keseberg, a vicious and nasty bully, perhaps the main villain of the piece.

This book is astonishingly atmospheric and provides a strong sense of claustrophobia despite the vastness of the landscape. This serves to magnify the isolation and the increasing desperation of the group.
The pages don’t drip with blood, but with dread and foreboding.There is some bloody horror but it is not over the top or relied upon. The real horror comes in the form of psychological horror, mans ability for darkness and the book asks who are the real monsters?

This is an enthralling and chilling read which I greatly enjoyed. The historical setting is portrayed perfectly. The only real criticism I had was that the final third began to run out of steam which is understandable considering what came before it. I did find the ending a little anti-climatic , too. Small gripes about an excellent, sinister, unsettling nightmarish imagining of a dark moment in the history of America.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC, in return for an honest review.

What a good book based on a true story you can only imagine what this group of people went through. Would read titles from this author again.

I hadn’t heard of the Donner party amd the troubles they encountered trying to cross the US in search of a better life in California so I was interested to hear that The Hunger was loosely based on their story.

It was a real character driven novel, you meet a number of people along the way and learn what made them make the journey.

The group sets out in good spirits but soon things start going wrong. A child goes missing, Fighting breaks out amongst the group, food is in short supply and the road ahead is untested. Also there’s something in the woods, something following them, something hungry.

There is a great supernatural element to the story, just who or what should they be afraid of? The “witch” in camp, the woods or themselves?

I have never heard of the Donner story itself but do know of difficult and hazardous wagon train journeys of the time period. This retelling has more than the "bones" of the story but adds to it with an horrific twist to "The Hunger" I have Netgalley to thank for the opportunity to read a galley proof. The atmosphere of the time is really well portrayed and the characterisation is excellent. There is danger from the journey and from its participants making the whole a complex and extremely interesting novel

I'd heard of the Donner party story before and really enjoyed this telling of the tragedy which had a spooky twist. Some of the background of the characters were a little long winded but still I enjoyed this book.

Unfortunately I found this book a bit of a slog. It was not as gripping as I expected it to be and as the writer flitted from one character to another, I found it difficult to warm to any of them. I felt that had the story been told from just one or two perspectives it would have been enhanced. The hardship encountered by the group could have been embellished to enable the reader to relate better to their plight. Once the idea of werewolves and ghosts were suggested I am afraid I found it difficult to fully enjoy the story. However, the atmospheric writing was undoubtedly good and it was not difficult to imagine the poverty, day to day struggles of their lives and intertwining relationships.

Full disclosure, my knowledge of the Donner Party story is sketchy to say the least so I did a quick crash course before reading this book. If you’re a historian of this case then you’ll either gobble this book up whole or fume at the creative license taken here. In 1846 a party of pioneers start off on a journey west with high hopes of a new land and new opportunities. They soon come to a crossroads and the leader of the party, George Donner, has a decision to make. Either take the well known path or follow a much quicker, but untested shortcut. Fate does not smile upon them, and Donner’s decision has catastrophic consequences.

This book is part historical fiction, part supernatural and part survival horror. There’s so many things going on here and the author manages to juggle them all with no small degree of skill. The historical elements ring true and are a absorbing part of the story. The fear of witchcraft hangs strong in the air, as well the pioneers dread of the Native American tribes they may encounter along the way. The tension ratchets up as the party grows short on food and members of the team are picked off one by one. As the story goes on character’s back stories are interspersed throughout the book and add an interesting counterpoint to the rumours and whispers around the camp. The characters are well drawn and what could have tipped over into cliche in the hands of a less able writer is both chilling and terrifying here. I find something quite comforting about reading a survival story while I’m all safe and warm but it’s down to Katsu’s excellent writing that I really felt transported to another time and place. An atmospheric and absorbing read.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

No, I'm sorry, but this was one of those books that was a real effort to keep going through and I just wanted to stop. Several chapters in, I still had no idea what this storyline was and it was just boring. I toiled through some more chapters, still making little headway in what was meant to be happening. I just found this dull.

This novel is based on the Donner Party Tragedy. I will be honest and say that when I read this it meant nothing to me. It is an important part of US history, but not something I was aware of. The Donner Party were a group of people, mostly made up of families, who were making the move across the US heading to a new settlement in California to begin their lives again in the mid 1800s. They packed up their belongings into wagons, and drove their livestock across the wilderness to reach their new life. As the name of the party suggests, things don't end that well!!
This novel isn't just a historical retelling, the novel is marketed as a horror, and the author has taken some artistic liberties with the facts in order to spin a tale of something hunting down the travellers.
Katsu does a wonderful job of writing a tense, atmospheric horror novel. The atmosphere is intense and brooding from the first page, and this intensity does not let up until the final page. This is not a bloody, gory horror, it's a psychological, pressing horror, the threat and danger is there on every page. When the author needs to scare the reader, she does so not with bloody, graphic imagery, but with subtle chilling images and language.
The plot is fairly simple, there is the main narrative thread in which we follow the Donner Party, there are some flashbacks which give more of certain characters' backstories and help flesh out these characters, and there are some letters interspersed throughout the novel from a character to his wife, which help the reader piece together exactly what is haunting/killing the members of the party.
The reader follows quite a few characters during the novel but I never found this overwhelming. Katsu does an excellent job of making all the different POVs included in the narration read differently, so the characters are clearly defined.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel. If you enjoy horror novels, or historical fiction I would highly recommend this novel, it blends both genres together with ease.

I was very excited to be approved for The Hunger for 2 reasons 1) to get out of my adult-book slump! and 2) because the synopsis was SUPER mysterious and therefore my curiosity was in full force.

At 40% in I posted on Goodreads that I was really invested in this book. Which was very true. I couldn’t work out whether it was a slow build up, and that’s why I was reading it slowly, or if I was reading it slowly because I was lacking reading motivation! But either way I was really enjoying it. The writing I quite liked aswell as getting to know the characters and their reasoning behind why they’re wanting a fresh start. I was looking forward to being spooked and loads of unexpected things happening. Yet, neither of these happened. Though I loved the occasional gory part and kind of wished for a lot more.
Whenever there was something Bad happening I didn’t really feel anything for the characters most of the time (there was a few parts when I was angry or felt sad) and there was no times when I was even remotely surprised. Some characters did bring out some emotion in me - Keseberg, for example, brought out a lot of anger. What a truly awful character.
There was a LOT of characters, which confused me sometimes in general and also whenever I’d pick the book back up after however long (I could usually work it out again but it was a bit much). I really appreciated the backstorys, they did help me recall who is who. The Hunger I felt remained very slow paced throughout, which is how my interest almost completely switched off. I could see the parts where I was supposed to have a reaction but didn’t. I thought the setting was good (obviously a necessary one since it’s based on true events), considering the bizzare events that would happen. The journey the party was taking felt neverending which was obviously the intended feeling (but it came across to me a bit dull after the 40% mark) and you can really feel the desperation that occurs. I think towards the end it all felt a bit messy.

I hadn’t heard of the Donner party before coming across this book (I will be looking into it) so I can’t say how well the author adapted the events into fiction. Initially I was going to give 4 stars, then it dropped to 3 and now I’m undecided between that or 2 stars as I did end up just wanting to be done with it.

Based on a true story although its one ive never heard of but what a fab read all the same. Would highly recommend. Starts a but slow but soon takes off and will have you gripped.

Evil is invisible, and it is everywhere.

That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party. Depleted rations, bitter quarrels, and the mysterious death of a little boy have driven the isolated travelers to the brink of madness. Though they dream of what awaits them in the West, long-buried secrets begin to emerge, and dissent among them escalates to the point of murder and chaos. They cannot seem to escape tragedy...or the feelings that someone--or something--is stalking them. Whether it's a curse from the beautiful Tamsen Donner (who some think might be a witch), their ill-advised choice of route through uncharted terrain, or just plain bad luck, the ninety men, women, and children of the Donner Party are heading into one of one of the deadliest and most disastrous Western adventures in American history.

As members of the group begin to disappear, the survivors start to wonder if there really is something disturbing, and hungry, waiting for them in the mountains...and whether the evil that has unfolded around them may have in fact been growing within them all along.

I knew nothing about the Donner Party before reading The Hunger, but it's a fascinating, if grim, true story, ticiotnalised by Alma Katsu.
It's atmospheric, if sometimes uncomfortable reading. The characters ring true: the greedy one, the one escaping the past, the hangers-on....all life is here.
I don't normally read super-natural tales, but this one had enough reality to make it a good read.

As a UK reader I didn't know the story of the Donner party so everything in this book was fresh for me. Looking at Wiki after finishing it, Katsu has done a fine job of both following the actual events and adding a soupcon of supernatural terror to it. Even that, though, is hedged by a more rational, scientific explanation for what follows so as readers we're left to decide for ourselves what kind of story this is. It's this layering which makes this such a clever as well as compulsive novel.

What really makes it is Katsu's ability to sketch character: she opens up the story slowly and reveals the people with a light touch which speaks volumes - there's no hammering points home here, she treats her readers as intelligent people. The prose is wonderfully natural, whether used in a 3rd person narrative or in occasional letters - and the latter reveal voices in a well-crafted manner.

Above all, this is so gripping! The first part kept me up to 3am and I only reluctantly put it down because I had to sleep. If parallels help, this reminded me of Dark Matter and Thin Air - a slippery narrative where people under intense pressure could be imagining horrors in the dark... or maybe not...

When I saw that The Hunger was being published I instantly requested a copy to read because I have a degree in American Studies and so the infamous story of the Donner party attempting to cross America in 1846 was something that was well documented when I was at university. Alma Katsu's book is an homage to this event, to the families that joined the Donner's to cross America to make it to California to realise their 'American Dream'.

There are a number of characters in this book and Katsu takes a number of them and makes them her focal points throughout which keeps the reader interested in what is happening through a number of different perpectives. Whether you like them or not, they all play a vital role in the unfolding drama.

For anyone who is not familiar with the tale, let us say this - it does not have a happy ending. It is not one of success and celebration at the end of the journey. It is one of miscalculation, of fate and bad fortune for all involved. You can google it to find out more or buy one of the many books on the subject itself, but I have to commend Katz for not making her tale too gruesome. She hints at it, quite strongly, but never commits to those final depraved moments that we know occurred and whilst she could have done, I actually don't think that the book needed it. She was right to hint, and then walk away and leave matters to the readers own imaginations.

This was a perfect read for the recent winter nights we have been having recently and I thanked my lucky stars that I have never had to experience anything like the homesteaders of America did.

Happy Reading

Miss Chapters x

Evil is invisible, and it is everywhere.

Tamsen Donner must be a witch. That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party. Depleted rations, bitter quarrels, and the mysterious death of a little boy have driven the pioneers to the brink of madness. They cannot escape the feeling that someone–or something–is stalking them. Whether it was a curse from the beautiful Tamsen, the choice to follow a disastrous experimental route West, or just plain bad luck–the 90 men, women, and children of the Donner Party are at the brink of one of the deadliest and most disastrous western adventures in American history.

While the ill-fated group struggles to survive in the treacherous mountain conditions–searing heat that turns the sand into bubbling stew; snows that freeze the oxen where they stand–evil begins to grow around them, and within them. As members of the party begin to disappear, they must ask themselves “What if there is something waiting in the mountains? Something disturbing and diseased…and very hungry?”

My favourite horror always has a distinctly psychological flavour. What can I say? I am drawn to fiction that disturbs, The Hunger by Alma Katsu is a perfect example.

Travelling across America during the 19th century was fraught with danger. Vast swathes of the country were unmapped, and moving from one coast to another was filled with risk. From day one, just about everything that could possibly go wrong with the Donner-Reed wagon train does go wrong. Mismanaged stores and a host of ill-considered decisions ensure that the journey is beset by problems. Internal squabbling within the various families frequently escalates into the politics of the group causing more issues. Everyone is looking for someone to blame for their own problems. Families and friends turn against one another and all manner of pent up frustrations and repressions are exposed.

As far as characterisation is concerned, this is an ensemble piece. The moments when Tamsen Donner takes centre stage are particularly effective. Reputation and rumour generating all manner of scandal around her before the worst has even begun. James Reed and George Donner come across as proud but ultimately flawed men. Elsewhere, I enjoyed the relationship between Mary Graves and Charles Stanton. The way they view one another continually evolves, and leads to some of the novel’s most poignant moments.

I think there is something genuinely disquieting about The Hunger. Fiction that manages that tricky task of being unsettling is always compelling. Gore is all well and good, but I much prefer watching ordinary people unravel when faced with extraordinary circumstances*. The wagon train functions like its own self-contained society and watching it implode is terrifying and fascinating in equal measure. The conditions the families are forced to endure just keep getting worse, but there is no turning around. The further the group tries to travel, the more oppressive and claustrophobic the atmosphere becomes.

When they are finally halted by the Winter weather the situation becomes even more dire. Katsu continues to heighten tension by introducing elements that may be supernatural in nature. Things take a sinister turn as people lose all sense of reason. Is there a disease running rife, infecting and changing the settlers, or is there some dark force consuming the group one by one? By this stage you know that events are going to end badly, but the narrative manages to delay the inevitable just that little bit longer. The distrust and animosity between the remaining families reaches new levels and eventually we reach that tipping point where civility finally goes out the window. Trapped, starving and increasingly paranoid, violence quickly becomes the order of the day. It’s impressive that even though you know it is coming, the blood-letting and cannibalism still manage to be shocking when they arrive.

In tandem with the growing horror, there is an ever-growing sense of sadness. People start to realise that their journey is doomed. Every choice has become futile and each character starts to succumb to their own despair. For them all, finding a new reason to go on is all they have left.

When I really enjoy a historical fiction novel, as in this case, I find I am keen to seek out more information about the story’s origins. From what I’ve read online about the ill-fated Donner-Reed expedition, Katsu’s novel takes key elements of the historical fact and weaves a new narrative around it. The blending of fact and fiction is seamless and makes for a truly original and compelling work. Part travelogue, part horror, the Hunger defies simple categorisation. The good news is no matter how you wish to define it, the novel succeeds in every respect. If you enjoy fiction with a chilling tone, then I suggest you look no further. The Hunger is first rate writing that captivates from page one.

Regular readers of The Eloquent Page will know I like to recommend music to enhance your reading enjoyment. A quick search on Spotify came up trumps when it came to finding something appropriate to accompany The Hunger. The subtle and evocative soundtrack to The Donner Party movie by Eimear Noone is an ideal fit with this book. Suspenseful and eerily mournful throughout it hits the same emotive notes as the book. Not a massive surprise I suppose, seeing as they are both based around the exact same subject matter.

The Hunger is published by Bantam Press and is available now.

*I’m not sure what this says about. I don’t think I want to find out.

I truly great suspensful novel, I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend