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A review by afterplague
A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I cannot stop talking about A Certain Hunger. There were some things I strongly disliked about this novel, but the main character is so...iconic. That's the only way to describe her.
I'll get the negative out of the way first. Quick trigger warning for sexual assault.
The main character is raped around 30% into the book. A man has been stalking her an following her home over the course of weeks, and eventually he forces his way into her home an assaults her. She has no real reaction to this, experiences no trauma because of this, and it never comes up again through the rest of the story. This does not inform her feelings about men. I can't understand what the author was thinking by including this scene. Yes, she is a literal psychopath, and I suppose this could show that she has a shallow affect. However, I think psychopaths are still able to be traumatized and at the very least I would imagine this character would feel offended. I don't understand.
The writing style borders on ridiculous, and it is not going to be most people's cup of tea. I read a few passages aloud to my boyfriend, and I could see him becoming annoyed an exasperated just from that. I, however, found it just the right brand of ludicrous. I could absolutely picture this writing style coming from the hands of the narrator. She's a psychopathic, pretentious food critic! It definitely suited the character, and I think you fall into a rhythm with it.
I wouldn't say that this book is particularly atmospheric, or particularly plot driven. There is a series of events, but I wouldn't necessarily describe it as a story. The novel is canonically being written by the main character, and it reads kind of like an edited journal. Even though I didn't feel like there was a good narrative flow, I was very interested to find out everything that happened over the course of the story.
There was also some interesting metaphor baked into the text (ha!). Cannibalism as a metaphor for romantic love is hardly a new concept, but I do find it interesting and engaging every time. Something that A Certain Hunger does well is make me believe that this character would engage in cannibalism. She is an extraordinarily adventurous food critic, so I find it very believable that with a lack of empathy she would see nothing wrong with killing and eating men. I also enjoyed that she made each meal as she would any other with care and service. She made excellent side dishes and wine parings, treating each cut of meat as she usually would. I truly did believe she loved these men, but not in the way that a person loves a person. I believed she loved them in a way that a person loves food. I do find it curious that she never attempted to eat her "true love." I find myself wondering what that could mean. Is it because, in a way, he had already consumed her?
I appreciated the secondary story of Dottie's relationship with Emma. There was something that rang very true about the edge that exists in many female friendships, even though there was no recognizable source of that tension. They weren't in the same career and competing with each other. They were after the same man. They just didn't like each other, but they were drawn to each other and loved each other just the same. The loyalty that exists in that friendship is fascinating and I would love to know more about them.
I liked A Certain Hunger. I read it, closed my book, and gave it 3 stars in my head. Then, over the course of the next month, I kept thinking about it. I kept making jokes about how GirlBoss it was to eat your lovers, like a praying mantic. I kept asking questions about romantic cannibalism. I kept thinking about the themes and the story. I find it difficult to categorize this book, but I can say, as long as you're not very squeamish, I would sincerely recommend.
I'll get the negative out of the way first. Quick trigger warning for sexual assault.
The writing style borders on ridiculous, and it is not going to be most people's cup of tea. I read a few passages aloud to my boyfriend, and I could see him becoming annoyed an exasperated just from that. I, however, found it just the right brand of ludicrous. I could absolutely picture this writing style coming from the hands of the narrator. She's a psychopathic, pretentious food critic! It definitely suited the character, and I think you fall into a rhythm with it.
I wouldn't say that this book is particularly atmospheric, or particularly plot driven. There is a series of events, but I wouldn't necessarily describe it as a story. The novel is canonically being written by the main character, and it reads kind of like an edited journal. Even though I didn't feel like there was a good narrative flow, I was very interested to find out everything that happened over the course of the story.
There was also some interesting metaphor baked into the text (ha!). Cannibalism as a metaphor for romantic love is hardly a new concept, but I do find it interesting and engaging every time. Something that A Certain Hunger does well is make me believe that this character would engage in cannibalism. She is an extraordinarily adventurous food critic, so I find it very believable that with a lack of empathy she would see nothing wrong with killing and eating men. I also enjoyed that she made each meal as she would any other with care and service. She made excellent side dishes and wine parings, treating each cut of meat as she usually would. I truly did believe she loved these men, but not in the way that a person loves a person. I believed she loved them in a way that a person loves food. I do find it curious that she never attempted to eat her "true love." I find myself wondering what that could mean. Is it because, in a way, he had already consumed her?
I appreciated the secondary story of Dottie's relationship with Emma. There was something that rang very true about the edge that exists in many female friendships, even though there was no recognizable source of that tension. They weren't in the same career and competing with each other. They were after the same man. They just didn't like each other, but they were drawn to each other and loved each other just the same. The loyalty that exists in that friendship is fascinating and I would love to know more about them.
I liked A Certain Hunger. I read it, closed my book, and gave it 3 stars in my head. Then, over the course of the next month, I kept thinking about it. I kept making jokes about how GirlBoss it was to eat your lovers, like a praying mantic. I kept asking questions about romantic cannibalism. I kept thinking about the themes and the story. I find it difficult to categorize this book, but I can say, as long as you're not very squeamish, I would sincerely recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Gore