Book Review: Hungerstone by Kat Dunn

Appetite, desire, and violence are explored in this reimagining of the classic, vampire, sapphic work, Carmilla, with a new protagonist, new storyline, and new take on feminism.

4/5 Stars

If you like Carmilla in any way shape or form, you’ll ADORE this book. The character of Carmilla is, after all, a very, very old vampire by the time we meet her in the titular, classic novel. What else did she get up to in all her time "alive" and well?

Hungerstone focuses on the character of Lenore, a woman orphaned young, cared for by an abusive aunt, and forced into an unhappy marriage by society's standards. On her way to a country estate, she and her party stumble across an overturned carriage with one young woman as the lone survivor. Lenore brings Carmilla along and looks after her out of a sense of propriety, but what this victim brings to Lenore's life turns out to be eye-opening in more ways than one.

This book is gothic perfection. All the decrepit buildings, walks along the cliffs, and typical feelings of dread and mystery permeate throughout its pages. It also incorporates more modern themes into the expected violence and suspense. For instance, can Lenore trust anyone that she knows, anyone that she has just met, or even herself? And how does that reflect her values as an unsatisfied wife, master of the house, and friend? Feminism, worker's rights, rags-to-riches storylines, and sapphic yearning all combine in this fantastic look into one of the many stories I am sure make up Carmilla's long life. And as always, the monster romance genre proves to be something you can really sink your teeth into.