The Girl, The Rage, and the Ribeye: A Carnivorous Coming-of-Age

I don’t know what Catherine Dang was cooking with “What Hunger”, but I think it was bleeding. This book reads like a fever dream served cold, garnished with grief, and absolutely slathered in adolescent rage. It’s got the emotional volatility of a suburban drama where every room smells like old secrets, and the bloody bite of a horror flick where teenage girls eat their enemies and still have room for dessert. I devoured it like a feral little freak.

Veronica "Ronny" Nguyen is fourteen, pissed, and perpetually stuck between stations. Too old for cartoons, too young to feel like she matters in the world of adults. Her older brother Tommy is the family’s golden boy, the only translator between her and their emotionally calcified parents. When he’s suddenly ripped out of the picture, everything around Ronny collapses into static. Her grief doesn’t simmer. It seethes. And when a boy at a party crosses a line that can’t be uncrossed, she bites back... literally. Cue a descent into raw-meat cravings, revenge fantasies, and unspoken family ghosts that might just be haunting the kitchen.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Is this a metaphor? Yes. Is it also very literal? Also yes. Ronny doesn’t just feel like she’s falling apart, she starts to eat like it. Dang turns her hunger into a full-body horror spiral. She’s not a monster. She’s a girl who’s been pushed beyond her limits, with teeth sharpened by trauma and a growing taste for justice served tartare. I loved that tension between surreal horror and emotional reality. I just wish it had fully leaned into the gore-glory earlier instead of teasing it like a stingy tasting menu.

Honestly, the food writing in this book deserves its own content warning. Not just the raw meat scenes, which are WILD and vivid and had me half-gagging, half-applauding, but the family meals too. Pho, nem chua, spring rolls, simmered grief. Dang writes these Vietnamese dishes like edible heirlooms, soaked in memory and unspoken pain. It’s one of the book’s sharpest tools, the way food becomes the only language Ronny’s family can still speak to each other without breaking something.

But we gotta talk structure. This book has some chewy bits. The pacing stalls in places, especially around Ronny’s “awakening,” and a few plot turns require Olympic-level suspension of disbelief. Like... girl eats uncooked meat from a plastic bag and doesn’t even get mildly queasy? My immune system said absolutely not. The magic-realism rules are kinda vibe-based instead of world-built, which works emotionally but makes you squint if you think about it too long.

Still, Ronny as a character is everything. She’s mean, messy, lonely, and painfully real. Watching her rage morph into something tender and complicated is like watching a bruise bloom. Her relationship with her mom unfolds slow and sharp like a papercut, and when the generational trauma finally comes to the surface, it hits. I wanted more of that. More haunting conversations. More blood-soaked bonding.

Also, justice for Auntie. The arc there? Quietly devastating. Meanwhile, Ronny’s best friend exists only to deliver one line of emotional support every forty pages like she’s a glitching NPC. Ma’am, step up or step out. Not every character needs to be a five-course meal, but at least season the side dishes, you know?

At the end of the day, “What Hunger” is a strange, sad, gloriously unsettling little story about girlhood, grief, and the kind of rage that rots in your chest if you don’t sink your teeth into something. It's not perfect. It’s undercooked in places. But damn if it doesn’t leave a mark. A bruised, bloody, still-growing kind of mark. 3.5 stars, served rare.

Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC. I savored every feral bite. Bon appétit.

What Hunger is raw, powerful, and hard to look away from.
It follows Ronny, a Vietnamese-American teenager right at the edge of high school, as her world begins to crack under the weight of grief, and violence What starts as a coming-of-age story quickly becomes something darker, something more urgent. There’s tons trauma here.
What really stood out to me was how the story explores rage. The kind that coils inside you when you’ve been hurt and silenced. The writing is sharp and straightforward, which makes the emotional impact hit even harder. There’s horror, yes, but it’s the horror of reality, of being a girl in a world.
The Vietnamese-American identity in this book isn’t surface detail, it’s woven through everything: family dynamics, cultural silence, the way food carries memory. The food scenes are especially powerful. They track Ronny’s shifting in the way she handles her rage.
This isn’t an easy read, and it isn’t for everyone. But it’s honest. Devastating. And absolutely worth devouring.
Tartare anyone?

What Hunger by Catherine Dang

Family trauma with a side of cannibalism. The premise was intriguing, after back to back traumatic events Ronny Nguyen has a taste for raw meat.

With such heavy subject matter as death, post war Vietnamese culture, SA, and experimental cannibalism- you’d think there’s no way this book could be dull. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The book was more about life after loss, and the fact that Ronny bit someone’s ear off was just a weird subplot. I kept waiting for something to happen, but it was mostly filler scenes. School, family dinner, and repeat.

Additionally, the comparison to Jennifer's Body appears to be a misstep by the PR team, potentially attracting readers who won't find the horror/thriller experience they expect.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC.

This book was exactly what I wanted to be. A study of grief and trauma that leads to horrific results. A study on generational trauma. Not only beautifully written but moments of horror I won’t forget.

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book, but I got so much more than what I was anticipating. This story was sad, raw, uncomfortable and tragic. Also probably my favorite cannibal-esque book I’ve read so far, since that sub horror trope usually misses the mark for me

This was nothing what I expected! I did not expect it to be so dark and disturbing, I love books that are about women doing wrong in a crazed exciting way like this. The themes of generational trauma, food and identity were prominent here and I can’t wait to see what else Catherine Dang comes out with.

I want to thank the publisher for inviting me to the view this title on NetGalley.

This was a hard DNF for me due to the on-page SA of a minor. No thank you. Cannibalism is fine, I don't mind reading about it, but I do not fuck with SA.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy.

How does a book about cannibalistic female rage manage to be boring?

Let me begin with the good. The premise of this one sounded perfect: body horror, discussions of diaspora, “god for her”. I thought it was a 5 star in waiting. I loved the descriptions of Vietnamese culture and the food in particular, they painted vivid pictures in my mind. I thought the pacing was one of the better cannibalism ones I’ve read, the main character’s actions made sense and her slow descent into flesh eating (?) was believable.

At the end of the day, however, the writing just fell extremely flat for me. It felt unoriginal and it didn’t give me enough introspection and understanding of the characters to feel invested. Even at the emotional climaxes of the story, it felt dull and tropey. I also hated the “plot twist” at the end - surely there was a better, less gimmicky way to portray the social commentary I believe it intended to carry?

I can see why someone would love this, but that someone wasn’t me. Despite this book being just below 300 pages, it felt like a drag and, honestly, I am very excited to finally be finished.

A solid book overall, but a little too light on the horror for my taste. It paints a vivid picture of the life of the child of Vietnamese immigrants in the 2000s, and explores grief in a very grounded and realistic way. I would consider this more of a literary novel with a sprinkling of gore and very slight horror elements rather than an actual horror novel, so if you like extremely mild horror, this might be a great book for you.

A well executed coming of age that tackles generational trauma! What Hunger will definitely be one of my favorites of the year!
I loved how quick it was to get into the story and get to know the characters, which increased my investment to Ronny, her family, and the plot. I loved how the family secrets were not unraveled until the end, and spoke of such violent, harrowing events which deepened my understanding and compassion towards Me and Ba. Painted so vividly through the eyes of a teen, we could see everything they were trying to protect both her and her brother from.
Truthfully, the pace was just right, not too slow and not too fast, and really weaved seamlessly throughout the different pivotal events.
I'm obsessed! Than you, Catherine Dang!!!

So, so good! I was enthralled by Ronny's brutal coming-of-age story from the first page until the last.

This book captures all the rage and helplessness of being a young girl: witnessing injustice, experiencing violence, and being expected to be quiet, complacent, and well-behaved through it all. Ronny has experienced more than most by fourteen, but aspects of her story are universal...even if how she copes is a bit unconventional. Her relationships with her family members rang true, especially as she began to realize they are more complex individuals than she's suspected. How she exercises her hunger is surprisingly satisfying, and it is strangely reassuring to see how she ultimately decides to channel it without suppressing it entirely. It's a resolution she couldn't reach without her evolving understanding of her family, so the plot and character development felt efficient and well-designed.

All in all, a visceral, messy horror rooted in grief-stricken family dynamics and navigated by a powerhouse of a young heroine. Loved it!

Okay- this book had no business being this good.

Veronica is a 14 year old girl, super close to her brother, and from a very strict Vietnamese family. Her brother is about to go to college, he’s a the valedictorian of their high school, and he’s learning that his life at home isn’t what he thinks it should be- and when he mouths off to his parents, he gets slapped by his Ba. Ronny watches her brother leave angry, and she’s shocked at what’s just happened. When her brother doesn’t come home later, the whole family spins out of control. Ronny decides to sneak out after losing her brother and the events of the night change something in her. She hungers for something she never has before and becomes something she never thought she’d be.

This is a great story of how grief changes people. The anger you feel after losing someone you love dearly costs you who you were before they were gone. Pain can drive us to do absolutely crazy things- and leaves us feeling like a shell of who we once were. It’s not until you find someone who understands your grief, sits with you in it, and helps you work through it that you find yourself on the other side- and even though you learn to move forward, you’ll always be a different you than the one you were before.

I love how this is so blatantly horror, but it’s underpinned by a story of love and grieving. Beautifully done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the privilege of reading this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️ Vegans are quaking! I had to sit with this one for a minute. It’s. A very dark coming of age story with great Vietnamese references and some incredible bloody and gory moments. There’s a sense of dread and hopelessness that really kept me wanting to read on. I felt sad, angry and disturbed. I loved it!
Other than a bit of repetition and some minor lulls, I think this is a very interesting and enjoyable read.

What feelings... 😭😋🥩

Jesus Christ, this was such a wild ride. How did we mix Jeffrey Dahmer with Pen15 & Degrassi? I'm just asking for a friend...

This book was a heartbreak in book form, with a side of cannibalism and a slow descent into a very well-earned crash out.

At the very tender age of 14, what our MC Ronny thought was going to be a fun summer before she went to High-school and her older brother off to college her family went through a terrible and heartbreaking loss. The family is turned upside down and shaken to the core. And that's not even the first tragedy to strike.

" Jesus christ, please let my girl catch a break." -said me while reading this one.

We're back at square one of not bawling my eyes out calling my husband because something happened to a fictional character. It really put me through the wringer, and I loved it. I went from one moment, bawling my eyes out to being disgusted and scrunching my face to wondering what would be a good wine to pair with a lil sautéed ear?

I loved the look into their family dynamics and cultural heritage, as well how similar sometimes other cultures can be to my own. Although we are in different parts of the world, I learned that we are alike in more ways than one. We apologize with food and not words. We celebrate and honor our dead in altars (but comparing would take a whole lot more than this, so I'll stop at this right here) and many other similarities.

A gut punch novel for coming of age, with grief and horror at its core. 10/10 recommend! And if you want to snag a signed copy, Nightworms Books will be having it in September book box, which I'm so happy I'm subbed for!

I would love to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this e-book ARC, I look forward to reading more from this author!

I was completely drawn into this strange, coming-of-age tale that pulses with longing, grief, and quiet fury. What Hunger blends literary fiction with subtle horror, and the result is something haunting, beautiful, and deeply human.

The Vietnamese food descriptions were an unexpected highlight and they were so vivid and sensory that I was practically drooling. But more than that, they added richness and texture to the story, grounding the emotional chaos in culture and memory.

At the heart of this novel is a powerful exploration of female rage, told through the eyes of a young Vietnamese teenager navigating family pain, identity, and fractured relationships. The tension between mother and daughter is both heartbreaking and tender, and the horror elements scattered throughout add an eerie, surreal edge that deepens the emotional stakes without overwhelming the narrative.

The final reveals felt earned, even if not entirely what I wanted to see. But that ambiguity worked. The emotional resonance, particularly in the mother/daughter arc, left a lasting impression on me. If you enjoy literary horror with cultural depth, slow-burn secrets, and stories about women clawing their way toward understanding, What Hunger is not to be missed.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Catherine Dang, and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Catherine Dang’s What Hunger is a slow-burning stunner—a blood-soaked, emotionally charged coming-of-age tale that pulses with longing, grief, and the quiet fury of girlhood on the brink of implosion. Imagine the emotional intimacy of Little Fires Everywhere wrapped in the feral, feverish power of Jennifer’s Body, and you’ll get close to what this novel delivers.

At the heart of the story is Ronny Nguyen—sharp, lonely, aching for connection in a home full of silence and unsaid things. Dang masterfully captures that aching in-between space: too young to escape, too old to ignore the cracks in the family foundation. Her Vietnamese-American upbringing is steeped in memory, myth, and the rituals of food—scenes so rich you can practically taste the pho and feel the sting of unspoken history between bites.

And then… the hunger hits.

What begins as a family tragedy twists into something darker and mythic, as Ronny discovers a terrifying power that defies logic but speaks viscerally to every repressed emotion she’s swallowed. The craving for raw meat is more than just body horror—it’s a metaphor for the untamed rage, generational pain, and unmet desire simmering beneath Ronny’s surface. It’s terrifying, yes—but also oddly triumphant.

Dang’s prose is hypnotic, intimate, and razor-sharp, laced with both tenderness and violence. What Hunger doesn’t shy away from the ugly, the surreal, or the emotionally raw. It asks what it means to carry the trauma of a war you didn’t live through, and what happens when a quiet girl finally decides to scream—with her teeth.

🩶 For readers who crave emotionally rich storytelling with a touch of the monstrous, What Hunger is unforgettable. Come hungry—and leave haunted.

Books with cannibalism as a metaphor >

I requested an ARC of What Hunger after reading a rave review from a BookTok creator whose taste I usually align with. She described the book as “Jennifer’s Body but make it Viet-American.” She’s not too far off, but that descriptor feels, at best, watered down. While there are some parallels (which I won’t spoil for you), the coming-of-age story of Ronny, a 14-year-old cannibal, is less demonic and more nuanced—touching on generational guilt, stereotypes, relationships and traumas often seen among the children of immigrants.

Catherine Dang’s What Hunger is dark, sharp, and nauseating (in a good way). It blends the grit and aching hunger (literally and figuratively) of adolescent girlhood, obsession, and survival. The writing is fast and biting (again—literally and figuratively). It’s not just about what happens, but what hurts, and Dang really nails that tension. Leaving the reader with a thriller with a literary edge and some very sharp emotional teeth.

What Hunger may not have been what I was expecting, but Ronny’s story was so expertly woven that it left no room for disappointment. Rounded up from 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

What Hunger is a creepy coming of age novel that centers on Ronny who is struggling after a family tragedy. After being the victim of a terrible attack at a party, she suddenly has a need for blood and raw meat.
This was a well written and terrifying horror novel that worked so well. Ronny and her family members were fascinating characters that were so easy to connect with. The story telling style reminds me of Stephen King with a twist.

Absolute banger.

I guess I can no longer say I'm not a horror fan. I seem to be loving it. I'm gross. What's new?

Not sure the raspberry on the cover makes sense, unless it's a euphemism for raw meat. I'd rather look at an eyeball. Or, in this case, an ear.

You may say cannibalism is revolting. May I argue that domestic abuse, racism, and rape, all experienced in this book, are even more revolting?

Book pairings: BAT EATER AND OTHER NAMES FOR CORA ZENG | TANTRUM | THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster

Exactly the kind of coming-of-rage story I hoped it would be. Take Jennifer's Body and give it a fresh, first-gen, Vietnamese-American lens. FMC Ronny deals with balancing the expectations of her parents, generational trauma, tragedy, lackluster friendships, and the horrors of starting high school. It's hardly a surprise when her grief grows into rage and insatiable hunger. This was truly a messy, visceral, wild ride of a story, that packed an emotional punch. If you're looking for a feminine rage book with cannibalism themes but want something less on the lit-fic side than this year's other young cannibal release, The Lamb, this might be worth a try.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc for review!