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.
Sounds very intriguing. I heard that it was such a bad winter, that survivors had to resort to cannibalism. How gross. Had to do what they could to survive. A supernatural element added to the story. How ingenuous. (Llnda Farabaugh 7:11pm April 29, 2018)
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