This book really took me by surprise - I loved it!!! Carmilla is one of my favourite classics and, whilst Dunn takes inspiration from the text, Hungerstone very much stands as its own story.

From the very first pages the first-person narration has an arresting tone, with an erratic stream-of-consciousness account by our 30 year old FMC. Kat Dunn manages to capture this chaotic energy whilst still writing in the most BREATHTAKING prose. Multiple lines/passages made me sigh out loud with how gorgeous they were.

There’s a lot of mystery throughout the book and you’ll have a lot of questions (e.g. why is our FMC like this?) TRUST the process! This book portrays true female rage (not just a disgruntled woman) with horror elements adding to this perfectly.

If you’re a gothic literature fan, you will notice lots of little nods to other gothic greats. If you’re a fan of Rebecca, A Dowry of Blood, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, or Dracula - I think you’ll love this one.

This book felt like a fever dream and I feel like it might lie on the borderline of being categorised as one of those ‘weird, feral girl books’ and I absolutely ate it up. I’d recommend going in as blind as possible because some parts of this book genuinely shocked me (in the best way!) It’s got sapphic romance (whilst not the main focus) and tackles themes of duty, desire, resentment, and what it means to come into your own wants in life.

Please check content warnings if you’re going to pick this up! I will absolutely be picking up the physical copy of this one on release. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Manilla Press for the advance reader’s copy.

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and publisher.

What a phenomenal book this was, believe all the hype! This is a Carmilla retelling set in Yorkshire in the 1800s. It’s dark, gloomy and so intense. The atmosphere of the Yorkshire countryside, the remote manor in need of repairs, the sense of isolation were all so impactful at creating a tense and eerie sensation.

As with so many female-led historical novels written recently, be ready for the rage you will feel reading this! I was so furious at the treatment of Lenore, the main character by so many people, those who just seek to use her with no consideration for her as a human being. The lying and deceit. One part (won’t detail to avoid spoilers) completely changed how I felt about this story and certain characters. This author isn’t afraid to shine a light on hypocrisy and poor behaviours.

I found this completely immersive and a book I just could not put down. The writing was so compelling, intense and yet oddly beautiful. I was utterly swept up in the mystery and intrigue, the atmosphere and my desire to see the main character succeed in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Think Wuthering Heights meets Carmilla with a modern interrogation of a historical period and you’ve got this great book!

Amazing story with classic touches and interesting twists along the way. There were small grammar mistakes but nothing distracting. Characters were very well written, making the story easy to get me in. Great story.

I don’t know if I devoured this book or it devoured me. Either way I ate it up in barely 2 days (would have been 1 if I wasn’t working). Delicious prose and the descriptions of hunger and desire are unmatched.

Inspired by the 1872 gothic novel 'Carmilla' by Sheridan Le Fanu, Hungerstone is an atmospheric, gorgeously unsettling tale of a woman's awakening to her own appetite for more.
Lenore is a protagonist plagued by self doubt, lost in the depths of her role as wife to a steel works owner, and the rules as restrictions placed upon a woman in Victorian society. Brimming with decadent, figurative prose, Dunn immerses you in the bleak landscape of rural Sheffield, Victorian high society and the lives of those who lived in it.
Initially, I felt as though the first person narrative was somewhat restrictive; extensive segments of the book are spent delving into Lenore's inner dialogues, which were initially difficult to emotionally connect with as you hadn't had the time to appreciate her as a character yet, and I was concerned that this would become repetitive or tiresome. However, as Lenore's understanding of herself and her surroundings deepens, the reader experiences this with her, which made for a much more immersive experience when reading the book and by the end I came to understand and enjoy this stylistic choice.
For me the initial 20% of the novel was a little hard to connect to, in part due to the narrative style and a lack of depth to Carmilla's character. I appreciate the need for her to be a mysterious figure within the book, however there were times I felt I was being told that there was a mysterious, intense pull towards her character from Lenore, but I wasn't being shown it. The transition for mysterious stranger to intriguing house guest felt like it could could with a little more fleshing out, whilst maintaining the necessary vague intrigue. It was, however, an intensely readable book once established and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lenore became a compelling protagonist; her trauma and her awakening to her own desires and autonomy made for an authentic, haunting tale.

Phenomenal slay!!!

The plot is deliciously slow and incredibly addicting.

I couldn't get enough of the gothic setting/atmosphere! Rolling misty hills and a crumbling manor set within the industrial revolution? I ate it up.

Lenore was a fantastic main character to follow and this is HER story of how she worked through her childhood trauma and broke free of the life she does not want to live. She isn't exactly a good person and I love that for her, honestly. I felt her anger and suffering and I don't blame her becoming hungry for something else at all.

As much as I would have BEGGED to get more answers regarding Carmilla and her life etc... In the end, I'm glad she remains as a mysterious character and I hope she's finding more women who call to her in desperation.

From Kat Dunn herself, "This one is for the feral girlies, for everyone who has ever wanted to take the world in their mouth and bite."

Thank you Kat Dunn for this angry, Sapphic, gothic vampire story I didn't realise I was CRAVING.

My appetite has been satiated, for now...

-Sarah

*Thank you SO much to NetGalley + Manilla Press + Bonnier Books UK for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

*CW: Depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self harm, blood, gore, manipulative and abusive relationships.

4-4.5 stars
With thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the arc.

“For what do you hunger?”

Oh my goodness, I SO enjoyed this book!
A reimagining of Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla, this is a thoroughly good romp of a Gothic melodrama,set in the contrasting arenas of the high society of Victorian London and the bleak industrial landscape of Sheffield and the Peak District.
Leonore is the wife of steel magnate Henry. Their marriage is effectively a business contract but Leonore, brought up by an aged aunt in a restricted and loveless environment, is increasingly unfulfilled in the role that has been created for her. Enter Carmilla and a wonderfully over-the-top tale of a woman finding herself, finding her rage and finding revenge.
Dunn’s writing is assured throughout as she takes us on a darkly sumptuous journey. The descriptions of the landscape around Sheffield and Hathersage are beautiful and haunting, making the acts of violence and hunger that punctuate the book all the more shocking and effective in contrast.
So, so good.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! I was so excited to read this after reading and loving Bitterthorn earlier this year.

It’s about Lenore, a woman who is tasked with renovating a dilapidated house in preparation for a shooting event being hosted by her husband. But a lot is happening under the carefully crafted facade, and when a mysterious woman is found in a carriage accident and comes to recover at the crumbling house, the facade begins to crumble too. It’s a feminist retelling of the story that inspired Dracula (Carmilla) - and although I haven’t read Carmilla or Dracula, I was very intrigued by her character and will be reading both in the near future as a result of this retelling.

This book was a total whirlwind in the best kind of way. Its gothic setting and dark themes were so perfectly executed. It was really unsettling without feeling like overkill, with a good balanced contrast of well-developed characters. I do wish we had seen more exploration of Carmilla, though I understand that her mystery was an integral part of her. I was totally invested in Lenore’s story and read the second half of the book in a single sitting, not being able to draw myself away from it. And then, the queer representation… I was completely sold.

Hungerstone is out in Feb 2025 and I’d absolutely recommend it. It’s safe to say that Kat Dunn is now an auto-buy author for me!

A phenomenal story played by the most vibrant women. I loved every word of it, felt every suffering and ecstasy.
This book gripped me wholeheartedly. I've long been waiting for such a literary masterpiece.
For what do you hunger?

I devoured this. A darkly delicious tale of deranged women learning their worth and following their desires.

Kat Dunn has done an excellent job with this. All I'd ask is for a bit more depth from Carmilla and the relationships between Lenore and other side characters, but the core of this book is absolutely brilliant. Well paced and easy to inhale over a sitting or two.

A rich and unsettling novel, Hungerstone takes the reader on an uncomfortable yet addictive story. This book was written in beautiful prose, that worked perfectly for the story. From the start, Lenore was an unreliable narrator with conflicting opinions and grey moral principles. I thoroughly enjoyed her as a main character, she made it easy to root for evil and her unconventional actions. The plot, albeit slow at first, was a whirlwind. Even though I was able to predict certain plot points, I still found the book engaging. A slick twist on a classic, Hungerstone was full of surprises, blood and horror.

I absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down! Having just read Dracula right before this book, I could really see parallels between Carmilla and Dracula, as well as to Miss Haversham from Great Expectations. I’d now be curious to read Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu to see the main inspiration for this book.

This book had the style of Victorian literature but with a much more modern voice/language, which made for a far more fast paced read. Set across London and Sheffield, we follow a young aristocratic orphan who tried to secure a better future through marriage, only to find herself in an abusive and manipulative relationship. And unlike Dracula, Carmilla is not the villain in this story but a catalyst for Lenore to find her own freedom.

Following Lenore’s journey and awakening/understanding of her childhood traumas and how they have shaped her life now, felt so realistic and heartbreaking, but watching her break free and overcome the struggles in her life was thrilling to witness. I also really enjoyed the parallels to the crumbling house of Nethershaw that Lenore works tirelessly on to tame and bring under control, to the way she also handles herself.

I also never felt at any point reading the book that I could fully guess where it was going which made it all the more enjoyable. If you take out the fantasy elements, the story also felt very realistic of a woman’s life and struggles of this time period, and as a modern woman, you really root for her to overcome her oppression.

Overall, this was a great read and I would recommend to anyone who likes both historical fiction and fantasy.

What a wonderfully dark retelling of carmilla!
The writing was exquisite while the atmosphere remained tense throughout. The characters are well fleshed out and the story is so engaging from start to finish
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Thank you to NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK, and Manilla Press for the ARC!

What worked for me: this works really well as an adult novel and I really enjoyed having a 30 year old protagonist. Lenore's voice felt mature and realistic. The prose is period accurate, immersive, and painted a gothic and oppressive atmosphere. And the horror themes also worked really well and I wish there were more instances of the 'hunger'.

What didn't work for me: there were elements I felt could have been fleshed out a bit more - namely the sapphic element of the story and Carmilla's character. I didn't feel much of a bond between Carmilla and Lenore, nor did I feel any build up or much tension between them (mainly because Lenore was usually upset at Carmilla's observations about her). Carmilla was intentionally elusive and mysterious, but that just made her feel a bit two-dimensional to me.

It had a few aspects that didn't quite land or feel fleshed out enough for me, so I'd rate this a 3.5. Recommending for fans of An Education in Malice and Bitterthorn.

This book was almost impossible to put down.

Hungerstone is the gothic, sapphic vampire book that the genre has been begging for.

Atmospheric and haunting, I was compelled from the very first page to read on. The writing lyrical and inviting, almost daring me to continue.

This is one of the best depictions of Carmilla I have read - she was terrifying yet seductive, she bounced off the page.

Loved the British setting and the countryside just added to the gothic vibe.

Cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a book this much