Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

All in all a good story, the writing fell a little flat for me, I think it could have used some more descriptive language, more set dressing, but the scenes where food was described and history really shone.

What Hunger by Catherine Dang is a haunting coming-of-age tale set to be released on August 12, 2025. The story follows Ronny Nguyen, the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, as she navigates the challenges of teenage girlhood and grapples with generational trauma. Ronny finds herself caught between her brother Tommy, the pride of their immigrant parents, and her own struggles with identity and independence. The family's meals, rich with cultural memories, play a significant role in the story, symbolizing survival and the weight of the past. When tragedy strikes, Ronny's world is turned upside down, and she discovers a newfound, insatiable hunger for raw meat that both empowers and threatens her. It's a visceral, emotional journey through the complexities of female rage and the bonds of family.

Who knew that grief and generational trauma could be so… tasty? What Hunger was sick and twisted but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

I devoured (pun intended) this book in two sittings, and it was everything I wanted to end my year on. Full of female rage and grief, Cat’s sophomore novel was an incredible feat. I’m a Cat Dang fan forever!

Oooh…another gorgeous cover! This one is visceral!

The book itself is equally as gorgeous. You’ve got female rage, unbelievable grief, a bit of coming of age…and meat. Much, much meat. It’s not for the delicate.

Expect to get angry – all while being lost in some truly lush storytelling.

This was an excellent read and I’d love to read more from the author!

• ARC via Publisher

This book was awesome. I rarely describe books as "awesome," but this one was. It was definitely a second-half-pitcher type of book--I really wasn't enjoying it or understanding what the point was until the surprising development about halfway through. The first half had a very meandering, shallow feel to it in my opinion--it seemed like I was just witnessing horrible things happen to a 14-year-old girl and really didn't understand where it all was leading. And then! What a turn it took, and I eagerly devoured (haha) the second half of the book. I loved the very final twist when we learned so much about Ronny's mom, and the concept of epigenetics and generational trauma really came through in a powerful way.

I would give the first half 2 stars and the second half 4 stars, so I'm just calling it a 4 star read.

I don't know if I'll recommend this book to my friend because I've already spoiled the interesting parts for them, which has to count for something!

3.5 stars.

What Hunger is a coming of age book following Ronny, our young lead as she navigates loss and trauma. It is billed as for fans of Jennifer's Body (of which I am a mega fan) and that instantly made me want to read the book. I do see some parallels between the two, namely puberty, loss of girlhood innocence, the sexualization of young women, predatory men, absent (relatively) parents. The author uses some body horror and cannibalism to tie in intergenerational trauma.

The most striking discovery, in my opinion, that Ronny makes during the book is her understanding that those around her, such as her brother, parents, friends, all have a life and feelings and experiences beyond which she will never know. This is a maturity level not often reached by someone as young as her. The trauma she endures throughout the book molds her journey.

Thank you to the publisher for the early copy.

What Hunger by Catherine Dang is a raw, unforgettable coming-of-age story that perfectly captures the messy intensity of teenage girlhood and the weight of generational trauma. Ronny Nguyen’s journey is haunting yet beautifully told, weaving together themes of family, identity, and an unsettling hunger that feels both metaphorical and terrifyingly real.

It’s a powerful, unsettling read that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommend for fans of dark, introspective storytelling!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

What Hunger by Catherine Dang is billed as Jennifer’s Body meets Little Fires Everywhere, and I can confidently say this is an apt comparison. As someone who often picks books based on their covers (with surprisingly good results), I was immediately drawn to the striking cover art and intrigued by the premise. I expected a Vietnamese version of Nightbitch, where the protagonist, Ronny, might literally transform into a monster or some other creature. What I didn’t anticipate was being immersed in a deeply compelling story about the intersection of generational trauma and modern horrors, and how they shape a teenage girl’s identity and rage.

Ronny’s journey is gripping, and I felt every ounce of her fury as she navigates a world that has wronged her. Like the character of Jennifer in Jennifer’s Body, Ronny doesn’t become a “man-eating demon” out of choice; she’s pushed to that point by the world around her. As I followed her story, I found myself rooting for her, even in her darker moments. The novel expertly blends psychological complexity with a raw examination of family and societal trauma, making Ronny’s transformation both chilling and understandable.

While I was left wanting a bit more from one of the character's final arcs, the plot twist at the end completely captivated me, and I loved how it tied everything together in a satisfying way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advanced copy of What Hunger. It’s a bold, haunting exploration of pain, power, and the complexities of identity, and I can’t wait to see how others respond to it.

Ronny Nguyen’s days are spent lounging in her small backyard with magazines and a creeping sense of aimlessness— while her college-bound brother Tommy is the golden child of their immigrant parents. Ronny’s deep attachment to Tommy, mixed with the dread of his leaving for college, beautifully captures the ache of growing up and the quiet fracture points within a family trying to balance expectations, love, and unspoken pain.

The novel’s exploration of food as a cultural memory is particularly striking. Meals are more than sustenance for Ronny’s family; they are vessels of history, survival, and identity. Food becomes a bridge to the family’s past in Vietnam, a way for Ronny’s parents—Me and Ba—to speak of a history they otherwise keep buried.

When tragedy strikes, the narrative shifts, plunging Ronny into emotional upheaval and physical transformation. The introduction of her “hunger” for raw meat is a shocking yet deeply symbolic turn. It reflects not only her fractured sense of self and her family’s grief but also a darker, more primal force awakening within her—a force tied to survival, power, and the body’s raw instincts. The supernatural element is handled with subtlety and nuance, adding a layer of unease while remaining firmly rooted in Ronny’s emotional reality.

The novel is grounded in cultural specificity while exploring universal themes of adolescence, grief, and identity. It offers a story that is at once deeply personal and eerily transcendent.

It’s a novel about the invisible forces that shape us—family, history, trauma—and how we can reclaim ourselves in the face of loss. It's intimate, unsettling, and unforgettable.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.