The story of the ill-fated travels of the Donner Party attempting to cross into California in 1846 is one of the tales that haunt the imagination. Alma Katsu reimagines this piece of history from a new perspective. The wagon train sets off smoothly, but soon multiple misfortunes and mistakes plague the loosely organized party and tempers begin to flare. Meanwhile, a young boy disappears from the party only to be found seemingly butchered. Is something stalking the Donner party?
Wow! I knew I loved Alma Katsu's writing, but oh does it ever shine in THE HUNGER! The creepy ambiance permeates the entire storyline, as the tension slowly builds page after page. Alma Katsu doesn't spend a lot of time focusing on the grislier aspects of the story of the Donner Party, but instead she creates a delightfully chilling atmosphere that makes one believe in the possibilities of the supernatural.
And, oh the characters! I instantly liked Charles Stanton with his loyalty and sense of nobility, even in the midst of the vast wilderness. Tamsen Donner took a bit longer to grow on me, as her intentions appear muddled at times until her story starts to unveil. However, the characters who surprised me with their strength of character were Mary Graves, Elitha Donner, and Thomas. Their stories intertwine as we see the sheer horror that the Donner Party faces.
I honestly didn't expect to love THE HUNGER as much as I did! The true story of the Donner Party is gruesome enough that I am only familiar with the most basic of details, and that's enough to horrify. However, I love the other books I've read by Alma Katsu and couldn't resist seeing her take on the seemingly cursed plight of the Donner Party- and boy, am I glad I did! If you love seeing history reimagined through a slightly paranormal perspective, don't hesitate to give this creepy, but oh so delightful, chilling tale a try!
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. Effortlessly combining the supernatural and the historical, The Hunger is an eerie, thrilling look at the volatility of human nature, pushed to its breaking point.
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