This book did not make me feel good. It made me feel wrecked, angry, raw, heavy and that’s exactly why it was so good. It was sorrowful and a beautifully written exploration of what it means to inherit pain especially as a woman, especially as a mother. It looks unflinchingly at the ways trauma echoes across generations, not just in stories or silence, but in bodies, choices, fears, and survival instincts.

a little blurb from the novel: Alice, the protagonist, is a single mother caught in the impossible balancing act of modern motherhood: overworked, under-supported, and quietly unraveling. When her doppelgänger begins stepping in to take care of her domestic load, the story slips into a surreal, horror-tinged space that feels both eerie and tragically familiar. It’s not just a ghost story, it’s a metaphor made real: the version of ourselves we wish could do it all, the version that bears the burdens we’re too exhausted to carry anymore.

But this book goes deeper than the supernatural. As Alice reconnects with her hard-edged mother and confronts the violent legacy of her great-grandmother’s trauma during WWII, what unfolds is not just a family reckoning, it’s a generational one. The book forces us to consider what gets passed down in the silences, in the coping mechanisms, in the hard love and hardened hearts. The “hunger” here is many things: survival, safety, freedom, peace and the desperate hope that our daughters might not have to starve the same way we did. Reading this made me grieve. It made me rage. It made me feel seen in ways that hurt. But it also reminded me that naming our pain—dragging it out of the shadows, choosing not to bury it—can be a radical kind of love. Especially between mothers and daughters. This isn’t an easy book. It’s not meant to be. But it’s one I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

For anyone who has ever questioned what they’ve inherited (intergenerational trauma) and what they’re passing on, this book cuts deep, and true.

5 stars ⭐️

What an incredible read this has been!

The Hunger We Pass Down is a haunting story of intergenerational trauma passed from mother to daughter across five generations. It’s a story about sorrow, silence, rage and the lingering curse that haunts and shapes each woman.

Told from multiple perspectives, Jen masterfully unravels the narrative through shifting decades, places, and voices. From war-torn Hong Kong during World War II to present-day Vancouver, she paints a vivid portrait of womanhood across time. We hear from a comfort woman whose pain is nearly unspeakable, and from her descendant—a burned-out business owner—who bears burdens she doesn’t fully understand. Each woman deals with trauma in her own way: some protect, some confront, some succumb. Jen doesn't shy away from complexity, especially when exploring motherhood and the impossible standards often attached to it.

Now to the horror part of the book. While the book's summary references a 'doppelgänger,' the way I see it, that was never the main focus. Instead, it felt like a physical manifestation of inherited trauma—a personification of the rage, pain, and sorrow passed down through bloodlines. Because what mothers pass to daughters isn’t just genes or cookbooks. It's the inherent rage we are born with. It's the trauma we don't put a name to until it's too late. It's the pain and grief we learn to live with because being a woman means carrying and remembering all the pain and grief the women before you endured.. As women, we inherit not just our mothers’ stories, but the ache of those who came before them. The fact that the sorrow and heartache in this book are born in a historically real place just adds another layer of despair and devastation.

The ending, while somewhat abrupt and anticlimactic, felt strangely fitting. It leaves the reader with the question of whether it is possible to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma and if so, how ?

Overall, this was a phenomenal read—rich with psychological depth, historical context, chilling horror, and the question of what it means to be a woman, a mother, and a daughter.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

If I had to give you one defining word for this book, it would be: bleak.

This is a book that is dark and bleak and so full of despair.

It's beautifully written, but it focuses so completely on the horrors done to women that it's just a gut punch. And, while I personally have not faced some of what these women face in this book, it's all too easy to relate to them and to realize that we are all, in our own way, haunted by something.

Do not expect a feel good story. Expect rage, and sadness, and hopelessness.

An excellent read. Just make sure you're in the right mood for it.

* ARC via Publisher

Haunting, hungry, and angry
Did I devour this book or did it devour me?
An impactful story about generational trauma, rage and a constant desire for justice. The more I read horror the more I wonder why I do.
Although this was very well written and captivating I personally can’t say I’d recommend it unless you want to cry, do not expect a happy ending and look up trigger warnings.

Wow, The Hunger We Pass Down was a very heavy read for me. Overall, it was very creative and I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars. Thank you NetGalley and Erewhon for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to like this one more than I actually did. The premise initially intrigued me: a generational family curse that serves as a commentary on intergenerational trauma. The cover is also hauntingly gorgeous. Unfortunately, the execution fell way below expectations. I think there were quite a few things working against it for me to love it:

1) The story was trying to comment on a lot of different things (e.g. white supremacy, gentrification, DV), and as a result the whole story felt disjointed and pulled in too many directions; there was seemingly no through-line to keep it all cohesive
2) Even though I appreciated Sookfong Lee giving every single character more or less their own storyline, I personally think it was too much information that didn't add much to the main story. I felt really distracted in trying to find the connections between each storyline and the main plot. I almost feel like the additional background to each character made the prevailing plot feel less fleshed-out and the overall story rushed in the end
3) There were a few character/plot motivations that made no sense to me; there just wasn't enough evidence for me to reasonably believe why certain characters made the decisions they made. Alice was the most frustrating character to me and nothing she did seemed logical (esp. in the love dept)!
4) This story was too long for me personally (which were definitely a product of my first and second point)

Would I read more by this author in the future? Potentially! I loved what she was trying to accomplish with this book; I think the execution on
this one was a miss for me this time

*The Hunger We Pass Down* follows single mother Alice Chow, overwhelmed by her responsibilities, who discovers that someone— or something— has been doing her chores for her. As she uncovers family secrets and connects with her children, she begins to confront the deep intergenerational trauma passed down through the women in her family, from her great-grandmother to herself, and the steps she must take to break the cycle.

The book sadly wasn’t for me because of my brain. When a story jumps around a lot..mutiple times in every chapter. It’s hard to follow along.
Loved the concept but sadly my brain could not get the hang of the storyline.

A truly terrifying novel of generational trauma, curses, and the monsters we pass down. Lee expertly weaves together a story of historical fiction and horror; I fell in love with Lee’s writing as she meticulously and poetically described each city, decade, and leading character. We follow women from the same family as they live through starkly different journeys, based on external circumstances— from occupied Hong Kong to modern day Vancouver—but also in the stories they had to tell themselves for survival. Lee deftly tackles difficult and complex topics of how grief and trauma affect body, the impossible standards of motherhood, and unearthing horrible events in history.

This story is so, so heavy, and I couldn’t believe the haunted house in Hong Kong was based on a true story, making the details of this novel even more horrific. I respect Lee so much for taking on this enormous burden of a story, especially with themes that are deeply relevant in our current generation. While I truly loved the book (and ended up reading it in the space of 24 hours), the ending felt too disjointed and a bit underwhelming for me. But overall, I found this novel to be insanely creative and filled with so much tenderness.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, posted on goodreads

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC copy of this book.

This was such a well written story about intergenerational trauma with added in horror elements. This was an emotional read that had me keep reading. I also did some research on Nam Koo Terrace while reading this book which added to my experience.

I enjoyed this story - it was different from most books about motherhood and generational trauma. It had a fresh perspective that was well-written. The characters are crafted excellently. I hope members of my family choose to read it! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow! This book made me feel all of the emotions. The inter generation trauma mixed with eeriness was the perfect touch! Thank you for allowing me to read!

How would you feel about a monster that had festered and preyed upon the misfortunes of your lineage as a woman? Digging its claws into you to strip away everything you possess? What if the anger, sorrow, and perpetual sadness were never entirely your own?

I approached this book with a keen interest due to the cover and the description itself. It certainly did not let me down. The narrative's exploration of how each woman in the family connects the past and present was incredibly satisfying. I also appreciate how distinct each of them is in identity, showcasing the vast differences in their trauma and struggles while illustrating how they become intertwined through being haunted by a creature for which you cannot fully assign blame.

I find the psychological approach to diving into each character's trauma and intertwining it with horror rooted in superstitions refreshing. Additionally, it blended well with the story’s elements. There were moments that spooked me when those elements emerged, and I can genuinely say that at no point did I feel distracted from what was unfolding before me. I could sense the characters' emotions and grief being authentically expressed. The mystery surrounding the curse is quite intriguing to me.

However, I do find certain lines and their delivery to be thrown about more casually, which does not seem to mesh with the overall atmosphere. There was an attempt to embody rage that didn’t resonate with me. Furthermore, the sensitive themes could have been better executed with a comprehensive understanding of the history of comfort women during World War II.

As we approached the climax, the introduction of characters felt hurried, and their resolutions still did not seemed justified. The climax itself felt anti-climactic, and the lines were somewhat comedic. The narrative strayed, almost resembling a conversation occurring within my mind rather than being narrated. The epilogue failed to justify the overall buildup.

Overall, I still appreciated the book as a whole because I believe it is still in the process of being refined, and I sincerely hope these issues will be addressed. I genuinely enjoyed the entire journey.

<b>“Sometimes I think we are the ghosts, Gigi. One day, outside of this place, we will be nothing more than a scary story.”</b>

What a phenomenally emotional read this was!

This is, on one hand, a tragic story about intergenerational trauma being passed on in this Asian family. On the other hand, it is a story about a haunting, a curse that follows the women wherever they go.

If you've read "Bat Eater" this year, you will like this book too as there are similarities. Such as the main characters being Asian descendants and handling superstitions with a supernatural element.

"The Hunger We Pass Down" is being told from a 3rd person perspective but switches between different generations and time periods, so you get a glimpse into the life of various women of the family.
I know the summary says it's a story about a doppelganger, but in my opinion, it's not truly about a doppelganger. I would actually remove this from the summary because it isn't the core of the story, nor is it the main focus. It's more about how haunted the women in this family are, how the trauma carried on through generations and takes on the form of a curse. And how easy it is to be overlooked as a woman, to get lost.

<b>"Alice knew that all girls inevitably become sad one day, when their boyfriends cheat on them, when a husband ignores them, when the promotion is conferred on the white man named Brad or Mike or Pete . When they decide they will never be pretty enough or virginal enough or thin enough for the ideal they had been chasing."</b>

<b>She knew she was already small, and she tried, in all situations, to make herself even smaller by being helpful, by completing the tiny tasks no one wanted and that no one would ever thank her for. If no one ever noticed her, then no one would ever hurt her. But there was only so much smallness that was bearable.</b>

I went into this book expecting more horror, but I still really liked it, and it was an easy read for me. I liked reading about the different generations, how it all tied together, and how everyone was related to each other. It was also interesting to read about the different shapes trauma can take on.

Lastly, a trigger warning: There are explicit mentions of rape as the book describes the life of a comfort woman during the war. Be mindful of that.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

A creepy horror novel about intergenerational trauma. Super evocative with vibes of The Grudge. Really enjoyed it!

Wow, this is by far one of my favourite books I have read in 2025. I have no words on how intense and emotional and well-written this was. I loved the themes of intergernational trauma with the horror twist, trauma in itself is horrific enough, but having it manifest as a literal curse is so interesting. This is one of those books that has me stunned after reading it, because it was simply so good. I loved the intergration of Asian mythology as well, as a South-East Asian reader, that was really cool and important to me.