This is a smart horror, that I read as someone who doesn't read horror. I had a hard time guessing where the story was going despite vaguely understanding the source material. Fully engaging and atmospheric.

Thanks to NetGalley and Zando for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟/5

"What is a monster but a creature of agency?"

I went into this book in hopes of experiencing something in the vein of 'A Dowry of Blood ': decadent and horrifying in equal parts. Unfortunately, Hungerstone failed to satiate my appetite for the gothic. I suppose this is an 'it's not you, it's me' case.

Hungerstone got off to a very rocky start. The pacing was uneven, with the first half being uneventful. Some parts were repetitive and the prose wasn't strong enough to carry what was otherwise a pretty well researched narrative. Here's where the novel completely failed me: the vibes. When I think sapphic vampires, S. T. Gibson's books come to mind. I love the way she writes complex relationships in prose that's nothing short of delectable. Dunn's rendition of Carmilla doesn't even feature her as a prominent character. She does stoke the flames of Lenore's hunger, but that's pretty much it. She was very annoying for the most part. I did not fall in love with the gothic atmosphere the way I wanted to. Being in Lenore's mind was exhausting, for the most part. Dunn used a 'tell instead of show' approach to Lenore and Camilla's relationship. I was looking for a tale of intensely obsessive relationship (toxic, even). Lenore's desire did not feel authentic.

I did like the portrayal of Carmilla as someone who unearths buried hunger in women. In that sense, this is a fitting addition to the 'good for her' genre. We do get to see revenge and female rage towards the end, which redeemed this just a bit.

As a fan of the gothic genre, I ultimately found this to be quite bland. It tried to be a lot of things at once but did not excel at any. In retrospect, I find a significant portion of the novel to be unoriginal (might lower my rating after some thought).

While this was an okay story, it is not my favourite retelling of Carmilla. I did enjoy seeing Lenore’s growth as a character, but Carmilla herself was a bit bland. The other characters were quite predictable and didn’t really give much to the story other than being a piece in the societal commentary of women living in Victorian England. I wouldn’t call this a romance, but more of an awakening, and this relationship helping Lenore find herself.

The writing itself was wonderful, but the story just needed more oomph. Perhaps I expected more sapphic angst and vampyness.

Thank you to Zando and NetGalley for this arc.

This book is an excellent example of vivid storytelling, love and survival. I loved the gothic horror and strong female characters, and I can't forget the feminine rage.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for this ARC!

I don’t know what more can be sad they already hasn’t. This book is a Gothic lush atmospheric horror book for those that love female revenge type books.

This was weird and I loved it. This definitely falls under my weird girl fic books. If you like this type of book then this is a must read. I think about this book constantly. I can’t wait to read more by this author. So good.

thank you netgalley and zando publishing for gifting this advanced reader copy!

the cover of this book is absolutely stunning and that’s definitely what drew me in! After hearing that it was about vampires it sealed the deal for me and knew I had to pick this one up!

the story centers around Lenore and her husband, Harry. While traveling to their new decrepit countryside manor, Lenore and Harry stumble upon Carmila in the midst of a carriage wreck. While Lenore try’s to manage the remodeling of her new home and her husband strange relationships with work and her friend, she slowing grows attached with Camila and has a slow descent into madness.

this is a very slow moving story, and I think some people will get bored with it if I’m being honest! I personally ate this up. The slow descent into madness was delectable and I seriously was hooked to find out everything that was going on. I overall really recommend and come on that cover!!!

2.75

When I saw the cover and that it was a retelling of Carmilla, I immediately wanted to read it, but I had a hard time finishing it. But if I am being honest, I think it’s because you have to read this book without taking too many breaks between each reading session. This is a short, but slow book, with sometimes an uneven pacing, and reading it while being on another hyperfixation, and having too many things to do in uni, maybe not the best idea.

This is a good book, the use of hunger for women’s rage and wants is a great idea, like the setting. I wish we had more vampires (you know, Carmilla and all), and I still don’t know what to think of the main character. I mean, sure, she’s a woman 19th century, but she was kind of miserable, and not necessarily in a good way (there’s a good way for stories with miserable characters, like Harrowhark).

So yes, I finished it a while ago, and I still don’t totally know what to think about it. At least, Carmilla is hot.

This was gothic and eerie and so worth it! I really was excited for this because I wasn't a big fan of the original Carmilla story but I thought this was a great retelling written actually by a woman so the sapphic-ness of it made sense.

‘A salacious tale of betrayal, murder and supernatural interventions’.

There has been a real boom in the last two or three years, in terms of really good vampire books. Gone are the days of boys who sparkle and here are the ‘real’ creatures we crave. ‘Hungerstone’ is another wonderful addition to the category and something I will be recommending for those looking for something to fill the void after watching ‘Nosferatu’.

I hadn’t read any of Kat Dunn’s previous work before, nor have I read Sheridan le Fanu’s original ‘Carmilla’, although I have a copy. I had a vague idea that it was sapphic and was Bram Stoker’s muse for the literary titan that is ‘Dracula’ (which I devoured), so I was really excited to sink my teeth into ‘Hungerstone’.

A brewing storm of feminine rage, revenge and Gothic mystery, set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution in Sheffield that’s charming, compulsive and clever. Perfect for fans of ‘A Dowry of Blood’, ‘The Lamb’ and, of course, ‘Carmilla’ or ‘Dracula’.

This is a highly quotable book. There are some spectacular snippets dropped throughout, including the opening of this review and the following:

“I have survived everything that has befallen me before now. I will survive this. By skill or by force of will, I must endure.”

Chef’s kiss.

The only singular thing that niggled at me were some of the repetitive descriptions, particularly of the heather and gorse surrounding the estate and the manner in which Carmilla is described: a heart-shaped face and chestnut hair. There weren’t really any derivatives from these and it got to feel a bit same-y for me. Sorry!

As always, an enormous ‘thank you’ goes out to the author, Kat Dunn, NetGalley and the team at Zando Projects for an advanced reading copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is not so much a retelling of Carmilla as it is more inspired by that story, I would say. That delicious tension between desire and fear that all vampire tales have is still here under the surface.

It is a slow start, but does kick up a frenzy by the middle, and I was satisfied by the ending. Although it wasn't nearly as sapphic or as vampiric as I thought it would be.

From Gothic fiction author Kat Dunn comes a new retelling of Carmilla that is equal parts haunting and thrilling. Hungerstone (Zando, February 18 2025) is one of the best new releases of 2025.

Set in mid-nineteenth-century England, Lenore has been married to her husband Henry for a decade. A steel magnate and social climber, their marriage has benefitted from Lenore’s upper-class status and her intricate knowledge of the social circles Henry hopes to be a part of as a steel magnate, where the industrial revolution promises wealth—but not status—in society. But now, ten years in, Lenore is keenly aware that their marriage has begun to sour. When Henry takes them to his acquired country estate, Hungerstone, on the British moorlands to host a hunting party, a sudden carriage accident brings a mysterious and enigmatic woman into their lives.

Carmilla seems to have appeared out of nowhere and exhibits all kinds of strange behaviours, such as being weak during the day but vibrant at night. Lenore is haunted by her failing marriage, her husband’s secrets, and her growing feelings for Carmilla. All the while, local girls in the village begin to sicken and exhibit strange, ravenous behaviours.

I completely loved this book—it gave me everything I wanted and more from a truly neo-Victorian Carmilla retelling. Hungerstone updates the original novel and the titular vampire for a contemporary lesbian-feminist revisioning of the plot while featuring all of the Gothic strangeness that makes Carmilla excellent.

To me, Hungerstone is driven by the atmospheric writing and Lenore’s character. We spend so much time in Lenore’s head, speculating about the secrets of Hungerstone alongside her, and Dunn’s work at pacing the novel effectively reads like the most well-crafted thriller. And yet, the novel is also situated in a number of essential nineteenth-century contexts: Henry’s steelworks and the consequences of industrialisation for the working class, Lenore’s role as housewife and house manager, and the intricacies of social graces in this period. The novel has the well-researched character of the best historical fiction, coupled with the thrilling and seductive Gothic elements of your favourite vampire novels.

One of the best parts of this novel is that Dunn makes no attempts to truly “know” Carmilla, as other retellings have done in the past. She remains just as mysterious and enigmatic as she has always been—her motives unclear but still grounded in desire/lust/chaos/hunger, all directed at Lenore. And yet, just as in the end of Le Fanu’s novel, Lenore is forever changed by Carmilla’s influence; the Victorian housewife will never be the same when Carmilla shows her how to take what she hungers for.

I highly recommend Hungerstone for lovers of Gothic and/or historical fiction!

Please add Hungerstone to your TBR on Goodreads and follow Kat Dunn on Instagram.

Content Warnings: violence, death, workplace injury.

3.75/4 ✩

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this marvelous ARC.

This book it's advertised as a retelling of Carmilla, and oh boy it did not dissapoint. Our protagonist Lenore can be described as a quite traditional wife, trapped in a marriage with the worst nightmare anyone could think of: a man (jokingly). In their journey to Nethershaw manor, they encounter Carmilla's carriage accident and decide to take care of her until she is well enough to get back on her way. What Lenore does not know is that this decision will awake the repressed hunger in herself and change her life forever.

The plot of this novel is so interesting and it's so well connected with the short scenes and narrative details which can be overlooked at first if not paying to much attention; but in reality they add so much to the novel. Metaphors regarding hunger, physical, emotional, spiritual; Nethershaw as a decaying home and the description of the setting is just cheff's kiss. The author also uses different types of hooks and mystery in order to make the reader want to read more, want to know what Carmilla is hiding, what Lenore hungers from and what secrets hide behind Henry's facade. The "gothicity" of the setting and descriptions of places could have been even more highlighted, I feel like it's presence is not as strong as I would've expected for a Carmilla retelling but this i only for an improvement of the setting, not because it completely lacks what I'm mentioning.

I hope I am not inventing anything when I say this, but there are references to other famous works and Victorian archetypes, aspect which I loved. As an avid fan of The Yellow Wallpaper by Gilman, and topic of "the mad woman in the attic" and female rage, I cannot stress enough how excited I was to encounter these so present in the novel.

Regarding characters, some of them seem very flat like/stereotypical characters while others althopugh more round than the previously mentioned, have not achieved their full roundness. Henry and mainly Cora were character's whose intentions I could not understand. Although we get the whole story from Lenore's point of view and that many times either limits our knowledge of other characters or presents a biased or manipulated opinion of them, Cora is allegedly one of Lenore's good friends, yet we know very little about her. Something similar happens with Henry, although we can grasp more about his character and intentions through his interactions with Lenore. Carmilla, having to be a very mysterious character, is very accordingly mysterious and readers get very little information of her, who she is, where she comes from etc. But that is this character's charm, the lack of information attracts readers to this alluring and phantasmagoric character.

As I have mentioned, Lenore is a character that for me, was not developed to its maximum. Her relationship with Aunt Daphne and how that affected Lenore as much as she says it did is still quite a mystery to me. There are some past happenings that are repeated constantly, saying how much they affect her, yet we do not get to see it, it is told to us; or not touched upon at all. Skipping such important conversations or even though processes seems to leave Lenore with a blurrier character development than what could have been done.

This happens more times during the story, the narrative device of telling instead of showing, and it does not always combine well with the rest of the happenings. There is more than an instance in which we are told, from one sentence to another, that Lenore is crying; instead, this can be shown to the readers by her realising her face getting wet, her shoulders shaking and many other actions which can describe to the reader instead of telling them directly.

There is room for improvement for everyone in life, and in the grand scheme, the story was really captivating and Dunn's way of writing is lightweight and so easy to read through. Miss Dunn, we need a whole sapphic novel about Lenore and Carmilla right about now, thank you :)

This is my first read from Kat Dunn. I adored the setting of this book and the character development was strong. The first half didn’t grip me at first, but in the second half I couldn’t put it down! I’m so glad I persevered and I will be looking for more work from this author in the future.

amazing, wonderful, spectacular! what a book.

i do admit, it took me a few chapters to get into this story, but once i did, it was almost impossible to put it down. it was incredibly engaging and absorbing, and i was entirely consumed by the journey lenore was going through. the slow beginning turned absolutely insane in the second half - it was fast-paced and intense, and the anticipation of what’s to come made my heart beat faster. the rage and amount of feelings i experienced was wild; i really don’t remember the last time i was praying for someone’s downfall so hard and hoped for lenore to get her revenge so badly.

i also loved the author’s note at the end. it may seemed that the main character went unhinged, but did she really? with all that she went through, with what her husband was doing to her and with society’s unreachable expectations, i could not help but think that the characteristics preached in men are simultaneosly critised in women. and how completely underappreciated and unacknowledged we stay throughout our whole lives despite being the ones building the foundations for families and careers.

the lesbian vampires are also so very sexy. so there’s that.

This book initially felt promising to me, as the gothic atmosphere was so beautifully set up and the writing itself was gorgeous, however it ended up falling a little flat for me. There were a few plot threads left loose, and the climax felt rushed. The first half of the novel felt like it was in danger of falling into the “no plot just vibes” trap that some books can. Thankfully there was enough of a plot to spare it from this, but only just. This is probably just a me issue but I saw this being marketed as a sapphic book and it felt like there wasn’t enough exploration of the sapphic themes to warrant that. Overall this was not a bad book, and the author is clearly a very talented writer, it just wasn’t for me.

I loved the original Carmilla and knew I would love this retelling. I adored the twists and turns and the characters retribution. It was an easy read that was easy to follow but a story that grips you. I Definitley recommend this one if you like vampires or the original Carmilla. I liked the feminine aspect to this book and think it flowed very well.

I was able to read an arc of this and I really enjoyed the development of the main character throughout the narrative. The setting recalls desolate moors like those in Wuthering Heights or Crimson Peak. The pace is slow but encourages the reader onwards with sizzling sapphic scenes and suspense. Without spoiling too much, this is a novel that begins and ends with blood- a true femme rage tale which leaves one hungry for more!

I'm a huge fan of any time people remember that Carmilla exists and predates Dracula. Wasn't quite expecting the turn here of "Carmilla comes to empower a woman who is in a marriage that's killing her, literally and figuratively" and how it rolls right into a revenge tale towards the end, but honestly, it's well deserved. Gothic, and I believe this is the author's adult debut, and it was a great time. Definitely worth a read this spring.

I LOVE FEMALE RAGE!! This book was so hard to put down, I love that it is a Carmilla "retelling" that could be almost a sequel to the original. Seeing Lenore's walls crumble as she comes to all of these different realizations was such a feast to read, I only wish that her revenge had been drawn out longer, I wanted to see him squirm (and I wish we could've seen just a little more of Lenore's life after she found her freedom).