I wanted to love this book so much and don’t get me wrong, there were parts that I did love but overall it felt a bit off to me.

You figure out pretty quickly that Lenore is not in the happiest marriage and tends to be quite sickly. She is swept off to the remote moorlands to host a hunting party when Carmilla falls into her life and eventually, girls in the local village are so hungry….

For me, the first half of this book was a bit too drug out, especially compared to the second half. There’s a lot of exposition and setting the scene that threw me off; if Carmilla hadn’t arrived when she did, I probably wouldn’t have finished it.

However, I loved Carmilla and how she operated! The way the village folk were being affected and the gradual change in Lenore were wonderful. I would have loved to read more of these parts. Besides the slow introduction and the insufferable husband, the retelling was pretty darn good!

CW: Mild Gore, Mild Body Horror, Misogyny (Historical), Interpersonal/Domestic Abuse and Violence (Familial, Spousal), Stress & Emotional Breakdown, PTSD, Infertility

Obligatory note that this is a Carmilla retelling, but I won’t be focusing on that because I didn’t know it was one until I began reading it. Also, frankly, I think the book is better read not knowing it. Because this book isn’t Carmilla’s story—it’s Lenore’s.

Lenore, our first person narrator, is the kind of protagonist I love. At first, she is boring, withdrawn and too caught up in her marriage and trying to rescue a crumbling estate to be of much interest. As the story unfolds, however, we learn why she obsesses over etiquette and being a proper wife. As we learn more about her past, how it plays into her present, and how she Carmilla’s role here is a forced reckoning, making Lenore see the realities around her that are not polite or comforting.

I think queerness is not as up front as many would want, with Lenore’s bisexuality and Carmilla’s lesbianism a part of the narrative rather than the primary focus of it. I think this criticism fair, given the marketing stresses the sapphic romance element. For me, however, I found in Lenore’s story a familiar, queer narrative of self-repression and trying to conform to the “right” role and the self-doubt and lack of self-esteem that goes with it—until new perspectives awakens the knowledge and rage needed to change.

Another legitimate flaw, I think, is that the plot overall is predictable, when looked at from the reader’s perspective. However, when viewed through Lenore’s eyes, a woman who has been abused, repressed, overworked, and (most importantly) doesn’t know she’s in a Gothic novel, I think it’s more reasonable. That said, if you’re the type of reader who can’t stand when characters don’t catch on as quick as you, then I think you’ll definitely struggle with this story.

Ultimately, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy character studies of flawed narrators, feminine rage, and watching someone discover a more authentic self just in time. However, if you’re looking for a lesbian forward, vampire forward, or heavy-on-the-Carmilla novel, I don’t think this one is the right read.

A deliciously Sapphic AND gothic novel I absolutely devoured (no pun intended). I am so happy to of read an early reading copy of this as it has become a new favourite for me. Thank you Netgalley & Allen & Unwin! The tension and haunting atmosphere was just what I needed.

Con una atmosfera oscura, sensual y gótica Kat Dunn "Hungerstone" nos presenta el estudio y la evolución de la rabia femenina de manera magistral.

A deliciously gothic tale, lyrically written, with some glee inducing twists and turns. Thoroughly enjoyed.

HUNGERSTONE

HUNGERSTONE was my most anticipated book of 2025. I received a copy in late 2024 but held off to read it along with my book club members


In HUNGERSTONE we are following Lenore. Lenore lives in London with her husband Henry. Her days are spent tending to the home and helping Henry with his social calendar.

One day Henry and Lenore find a woman I dire condition alongside the road. Her name is Carmilla and she was in a terrible accident. Henry and Lenore decide they must bring Carmilla home to nurse her back to health.

The job will primarily fall to Lenore. Over time Carmilla becomes more than a houseguest and we get to watch as Carmilla makes a home in Lenore’s nest.



Reading HUNGERSTONE is what I imagine eating ortolan is like. I am intrigued but side tracked by the feathers in my teeth.

Lenore is a fabulous character. She stands a little straighter than her station should merit. Takes up more space than is allocated to her. Laughs a little louder a little deeper than warrants and always, always looks you in the eye when she tells you how she feels. She is often tired of herself. Has fantasies of being different people, different sexes. In a different place at a different time.

I loved Lenore. I loved the writing.

Carmilla though, was a little tougher to swallow. I did not like her. So the attraction between Lenore and her didn't work for me.

I wanted Lenore to throw Carmilla out of a nearby window.

But we can't win them all right?

I gave HUNGERSTONE four stars!

Thanks to Nergalley and Zando for the advanced copy!

HUNGERSTONE…⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book needed 10% more Carmilla and I would have given it 5 stars.

I loved Lenore's voice as a character. Her inner life was a rich tapestry and with the gentlest tug we see her carefully crafted sterile life and image unspool. The depiction of the work that is required in maintaining a large estate was actually so interesting to me, the ins and outs of dealing with contractors, managing a large staff, organizing extravagant parties and social calendars. Domestic labor is so degraded in the eyes of men and it was fascinating yet disheartening to see how much energy and effort Lenore extended that her husband completely took for granted or dismissed entirely. The simmering tension between Lenore and Carmilla and the otherworldly quality of Carmilla's presence was intoxicating. In many ways it heavily reminded me of the psychological tie between Ellen and Count Orlok in Nosferatu (2024). The way the human woman's relationship to the monster is a reflection of her own hunger, her own ferocity that is trapped within her by the rules of gentile society. There's many things to love about this book and the prose was stunning. I only wished for more Carmilla and perhaps a touch more blood.

4.25 stars

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy. All thoughts are my own.

A slow-burning gothic tale filled with eerie atmosphere, desire, and unraveling identity. While the romance simmers quietly in the background, the story shines in its exploration of repression, rage, and female empowerment.

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn is a gothic horror novel that reimagines Sheridan Le Fanu's classic Carmilla, delving into themes of female desire, repression, and empowerment. Set against the backdrop of Victorian England's industrial era, the story follows Lenore Crowther, a woman trapped in a loveless marriage, whose life takes a transformative turn upon the arrival of the enigmatic Carmilla Kernstein. ​

SCREAMS IN QUEER VAMPIRES

Hungerstone is intense. I mean, INTENSE. This book dives straight into a dark, twisted world that feels like a mix of gothic horror and psychological thriller, and I absolutely could not stop reading. Kat Dunn has crafted something so atmospheric, so brooding, you can practically feel the chill in your bones.

The story follows [insert protagonist’s name if you want], who’s caught up in a mysterious and eerie situation where survival is everything. It’s one of those books that keeps you on edge the entire time. The setting is bleak and vivid—almost like a character in itself—and Dunn’s writing brings it all to life with such clarity and intensity. The way she builds tension is almost masterful; you’re always on the edge of something, but you're never quite sure what it is until it hits you.

What I loved most was the world-building. It’s rich with history, folklore, and a sense of inevitable doom that’s perfectly balanced with moments of hope and raw emotion. The characters? Complex and multi-layered, each with their own hidden motivations, which kept me guessing until the very end.

This isn’t a light read, though—there’s some dark, uncomfortable stuff in here that will get under your skin, but if you’re into psychological twists, complex relationships, and a world that feels alive in its danger, you’re in for a ride.

If you’re a fan of authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Tana French, or just want something that will keep you thinking long after the last page, Hungerstone is the one to grab.

This was such an atmospheric setting. Although I wish Carmilla was a more prominent theme, but the subplots were incredible. This is definitely a slowwwwwww burn, but the payoff was SO WORTH IT. Thank you for my advanced copy!

In reading this book, burrowed in my lonely apartment, I became wholly realised, corporeal. A favourite classic reimagined for a modern audience; that blend of historical fiction and modern ideals of womanhood and maternity like a perfect cup of tea: burning hot but equally therapeutic. Lines like "I was good for nothing but blood" and "Who taught you not to dream?" hit like a bullet. While reading this book, I played ‘labour’ by Paris Paloma countless times and, even though Henry is blond, I still pictured him and Lenore as Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson in ‘Love Actually’. Less poetic, perhaps, but an aspect I cannot ignore for the sake of a flowery review. Overall, a great read.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t a win for me. I think possibly if it was marketed differently I would have enjoyed it more, but as ‘a thrillingly seductive sapphic romance’ with vampires it fell short for me and I ended up just being mostly bored.

I appreciate what it was trying to do with adding themes of industrialisation and feminism but the execution just didn’t work for me. I would have loved to have seen more of the Ajax Works, and seen the book commit harder to its plot, as it felt like the book suffered from not really knowing what it wanted to be- occasionally there would be a glimpse of supernatural horror and I’d feel like it was building to something, but that something never came and you’re just kind of like ok what was the point of adding that in the first place.

As this is supposed to be a Carmilla retelling, it was strange to me that Carmilla herself was relegated to being a one-dimensional plot device, and her position as a constant foil to Lenore made me really struggle to feel a romantic connection between the two of them. Additionally, I just could not bring myself to like or sympathise with Lenore. Trying to keep this spoiler-free but her motivations seemed so selfish a lot of the time, and she spends a lot of time being self-pitying for someone who, realistically, could be in a much worse position than she is.

I did really enjoy the description of the moors and the house, the gothic atmosphere was great, and I enjoyed the nods to other literature classics. Thanks to NetGalley and Zando for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 is a novel permeated with hunger, desire, and the slow unraveling of its main character, Lenore. As she and her husband, Henry, move to Nethershaw, a cold and mouldy manor, to follow Henry's ambitions, Lenore has to manage a crumbling estate, new staff, the preparations for a hunt and a feast, and Henry's changing moods. But a carriage accident brings the infuriatingly alluring Carmilla into their home. Carmilla rattles Lenore's life, stirs up a hunger in her, a hunger for something different, something better, as she peels the layers of her marriage to uncover something worse than the secrets she keep for Henry.

It took me a good month and a half to get through the first half of this book, and then I read, 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 even the second half in two days. But despite the four stars rating, my opinion is rather divided.

𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 had an appealing premise, on which it delivered, but the prose, while good, felt distinctly too modern for the story it was telling. Lenore was a captivating narrator, but her voice didn't differ much from that of contemporary novels narrators. 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 being a gothic story set in the mid-nineteenth century, I expected something different. The gothic aspect of the book was well done despite this.

The plot and plot twists, while interesting, were all too predictable, perhaps in part a result of the characters being mostly one-dimensional. As for the sapphic aspect, I have to call false advertising here. 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 is not "a mesmerizing reclamation of the lesbian vampire trope", it has one (1) good sapphic moment which benefited from no previous yearning or build up.

Most importantly, I have one question: why was this a Carmilla retelling? A nod to Carmilla, even just keeping the character named the same way, would have been plenty enough; anything would have been more accurate than to present this as a retelling.

Overall, I had a very good time with 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦! But it was l not the sapphic vampire book I wanted it to be.

Lenore is a woman of good breeding, but one left bankrupt after her parents’ mistakes. She marries Henry, an overly ambitious man that has the money, but lacks the title. Fast forward to ten years later: that’s when we meet them.

It definitely was a book that kept me reading, but I’m not really sure why. I enjoyed the female rage and the vibey setting of the book (we love a Victorian backdrop), but the character arc felt a bit too slow for me. I didn’t need to hear she was hungry every other page; but that doesn’t matter.

Apparently this is a retelling of Carmilla, and seeing as I haven’t read that one yet, I can’t really reflect on her character in this book. The chaos surrounding this character was great, but I would have loved a bit more sapphic story than just the one lesbian kiss.

All in all, recommended for an easy read, or a palate cleanser in between heavier books.

Hungerstone is a beautifully written gothic horror novel. The prose is just gorgeous and while reading, you truly feel the main characters emotions. I love reading anything to do with female rage, and this was a perfect addition in that category. The story was super immersive and I felt that the ending was right for the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for the ARC of this wonderful book.

I just love when a woman becomes aware of her worth.

Lenore marries a man who’s in charge of a steelworks company during the Industrial Revolution in hopes of having a normal life after the death of her parents. Little did she know she’d spend her years beckoning to his every request and need, helping him climb the ranks in their town only for him to never appreciate her. In the midst of all this, a mysterious woman comes into their life and opens her eyes to the truth. Her husband is not who he claims to be, not in their marriage or at his business, and she may not be safe.

This story is a slow but gorgeous unfolding of Lenore’s discovery of her worth as a woman and what she can be without a toxic man. My only note would be there was not nearly enough yearning and want for a story about sapphic vampires.

I’d recommend this with the caveat that the love affair seemed to be a minor plot of the book (maybe that’s just me though).

In Hungerstone, the classic tale of Carmilla takes on a new life as we dive into the intriguing world of our main character's inner turmoil as her world is turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious and captivating Carmilla. A well-crafted atmosphere mingles with a thorough character study and exploration of gothic horrors.

I, too, would change myself completely for a deranged lesbian vampire.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book, I didn’t realize it was horror—I expected more focus on the romance between Lenora and Carmilla. I’m not a big horror fan, so that definitely influenced my reading experience. That said, Hungerstone is undeniably atmospheric, with beautiful writing that captures emotion and atmosphere in a haunting way.
The strongest part of the novel, for me, was the female rage. There’s something powerful about watching Lenora transform, though I found the pacing uneven. The story dragged for long stretches, with Lenora wallowing in self-pity, and then suddenly, after one lesbian sexual experience, she’s out for blood. The shift was fine, but I wish her character arc had happened sooner.
Another issue was the lack of closure—there were so many eerie and disturbing moments (!) that never really got explained. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions, which was frustrating.
Overall, while this book didn’t quite work for me, I can still appreciate its lush prose, its raw emotional core, and, of course, yey lesbians. Readers who love gothic horror and slow transformation arcs will love this one.

This one was absolutely fantastic.
So fantastic, in fact, that I stopped reading so I can buy it instead.