Kat Dunn falls into the R. F. Kuang trap of being a capable writer who doesn’t believe that her readership is equally capable of understanding the text without unsubtle handholding throughout. Lots of repetition and telling not showing employed in Hungerstone; we are repeatedly hit over the head with all the factors behind Lenore’s psychology and repression, and Henry is a one note antagonist who isn’t really afforded any depth beyond ooooh nasty evil man boooooo Victorian gender roles and class conventions suck ewwwwww. I promise we can read between the lines! Some subtlety is ok!

Carmilla’s character also falls flat for me. She doesn’t read as charming and strange and irresistible as the text tries to tell us she is - again, telling instead of showing. Her presence in the story is also inconsistent, which I don’t have a huge problem with given that Lenore’s arc is the heart of the narrative, but it does feel strange that a Carmilla retelling is so light on the Carmilla aspect of the source material.

Dunn does a great job of crafting a dark, oppressive atmosphere and she shines best when writing about appetite, desire and Lenore’s journey to accepting and giving in to her hunger. The rest of the writing just wasn’t up to par and often sacrifices quality for quotability (looking at you, “what is a monster if not a creature with agency” lol). Also sorry, but I don’t buy that a man written as stolidly unimaginative as Henry would drop a line like, “You are out of your depth, Lenore—do not go any further or you may drown.” I can tell you now for FREE that my guy doesn’t deal in anything as frivolous as METAPHORS!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this novel!

As someone who is a fan of gothic literature and has taught it, I was incredibly drawn in by the synopsis of this book. And, it does deliver on a gothic atmosphere and characterization. It's clear that Dunn is well versed in novels like Carmilla, Dracula, and those by Dickens. She also depicts the Victorian era well, especially the smell and sound of industrialization. Her prose is evocative and lush and a pleasure to read (though, occasionally, overwrought). I think this is a novel that many will enjoy, and I did like my time with it in parts.

However, this novels feels so long because it is incredibly repetitive. The story never builds its characterization from the traits we learn of Lenore, Henry, and others surrounding them in the first 50 or so pages. Though we are often brought back to aspects of Lenore's childhood, we don't learn anything new -- just the same points made over and over and over again. There's only so many times I can read about someone being hungry before I wonder if there is anything more to be said about this character. Lenore is a dreadfully boring person. Her main qualities are insecurity, anxiety, and hunger over a life she never got to have -- because patriarchy and class, etc etc. I've read this story before, many times. I don't necessarily feel like Dunn is adding anything new to the "female rage" subgenre.

And, ultimately, this fails as an homage to Carmilla. It's just not as interesting or unique or groundbreaking as Carmilla was at the time of its publication. Carmilla manages to say many of the same things as Hungerstone in way fewer pages. And it's more queer. I never really bought into Carmilla as a character in this novel or her relationship to Lenore. Does Lenore want Carmilla or is Carmilla just a vehicle to freedom for Lenore?

I think this novel is going to work for someone who is interested in this time period and vibey, vampire-esque novels that are less about the monster and more about the 'hunger' for me. I think for those of us who are perhaps more well versed in the conventions of this genre --- this is just your run of the movie modern gothic novel, so your milage may vary.

A hot sapphic vampire novel that to its core, I felt was a pretty good Carmilla retelling. The writing is lush and the story is extremely fast paced! I thoroughly enjoyed! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

Wowwowowowow.......wow. Historical sapphic vampire novel about an abusive marriage and overcoming the trap of it and finding love and strength within yourself during this transformation. YESSS! I am absolutely obsessed with this book, the descriptive details were so delectable, I devoured this book so slowly because I did not want to finish it. I have not come across a book I felt this way about.

Right from the beginning I was hooked and I was in it, I love Kat Dunn's writing style, and I loved this time piece novel!

I really liked the concept and story for sure. That being said I felt like there was some extra stuff that wasn’t super relevant. Like we could’ve done without ALL the flashbacks to aunt Daphne in my opinion. But this was a fun read. Love a good lesbian vampire.

Thank you to Netgalley and Zando Projects for sending me this ARC.

'It starts with blood'
Hungerstone hooked me from the start. Kat Dunn paints pictures with her words and her prose is perfection.

Carmillas' influence on the women around her was fascinating to see, and I loved how she brought out their hunger and how (unsurprisingly) they took it out on the males in their lives. I think it hit harder because of the time period and how oppressed women were.

I do wish that Lenore's breakdown/revenge had happened sooner in the book, but that is because I am greedy and wanted to see more of her and Carmillas interactions and what I can only assume will be their life together.

3.75 stars.

Sapphic, gothic, Carmilla retelling had me immediately sold! I felt that this book was very well done and had some really beautiful writing. I would have loved to give it 4 or 5 stars but I felt that it was perhaps a little bit slow in the middle which made it hard to rate it higher. I also felt the twist was fairly obvious and I wish that it was a bit more subtle. I still really enjoyed this story overall and definitely had a lot of highlights, so I know the writing and prose was good if I am highlighting!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This one is so deliciously devious! In a nutshell this book:

🗡️ gothic horror
🩸lesbian vampire
🗡️ historical fiction
🩸 inspired by Carmilla 🧛‍♀️
🗡️ female rage
🩸 atmospheric language


This is Crimson Peak meets The Yellow Wallpaper. It’s bloody, it’s living in a decrepit, moldy estate, and it’s HUNGRY

If you’re a fan of women devolving into madness and rage, this one’s for you! I loved reading this. Dunn’s prose is so lush and beautiful.

The story follows Lenore, the wife of a wealthy steel magnate, while she prepares their new, grand (and decaying) estate for a hunting party. On their way to the new place, they rescue a mysterious woman (Carmilla) from a carriage accident and now she won’t leave! What’s worse is, Lenore, like the mansion, is starting to unravel, unable to cope with her husband’s distance, the strange estate, and an unwelcome house guest that wonders the moors at night.

This story is violent, intoxicating, and wild. It’s also about shedding your fabricated layers of politeness and respectability. Lenore’s world comes crumbling down at the idea that the cage she’s put herself in is entirely a facade. What would happen once you stop living within the confines of a man’s world?

I hope you’re hungry, because this book releases February 18, 2025 and you need to preorder this STAT

"For what do you hunger, Lenore?"

"I am a woman woken from thirty years slumber, and I would eat the world should it satisfy this empty, keening void where my heart should be."

"If I am mad, it is only because they have made me so."

“What is a monster but a creature of agency?”

"I am a drowning woman clinging to a wreckage, but I will sing so loud as I go down."

-

well shiiiiittttt i really didn’t expect to love this book as much as i did. i'm usually not that into vampire stories, but this was honestly one of the most beautifully written books i've ever read. some lines were making me blush and giddy i had to stop and reread them just to take them in again lmao. disclaimer: this is a queer, feminist take on Carmilla, the 1872 sapphic gothic classic. while Carmilla herself remains, the rest of the cast is new, making it feel like both books in 1.

the premise: Lenore’s marriage to her steel magnate husband, Henry (f you Henry), is falling apart, and his solution is dragging them both to a crumbling country estate. on the way, they pick up Carmilla, stranded on the road, and bring her into their world. as Lenore throws herself into planning an over-the-top party, she finds herself drawn to Carmilla—oblivious to the creeping danger closing in.

OKAY so this book thrives on its eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere—the decaying house practically breathes and Carmilla still nails that perfect balance of seductive and sinister. the final stretch is especially wild, leaning into grotesque, “good for her” energy in the best way that i caught myself screaming GET IT GIRL YESSSSSS. that said, some of the book’s added themes, like its critique of capitalism and Lenore’s awful husband, feel a little flat compared to the rich, unsettling horror at its core that's why i only gave 4 star.

still AMAZINGLY WRITTEN. thank you thank you Zando Projects for an early copy!!

i'm gonna leave you with,

It starts with blood. It ends with blood. 🩸

I was sold at lesbian vampires. It is both more and less than that, but thankfully it worked for me. I enjoyed the pacing and the writing immensely, the Kindle highlights are abundant. This is definitely a story for the girlys filled with rage. The ones who have been oppressed and twisted and forced into boxes at the hands of a man, of family, of society. I will be returning to some of these quotes again and again.

"A compulsive feminist reworking of Carmilla, the queer novella that inspired Dracula.

It's the height of the industrial revolution and ten years into Lenore's marriage to steel magnate Henry, their relationship has soured. When Henry's ambitions take them from London to the remote British moorlands to host a hunting party, a shocking carriage accident brings the mysterious Carmilla into their lives. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night. Carmilla, who stirs up something deep within Lenore. And before long, girls from the local villages fall sick, consumed by a terrible hunger...

As the day of the hunt draws closer, Lenore begins to unravel, questioning the role she has been playing all these years. Torn between regaining her husband's affection and the cravings Carmilla has awakened, soon Lenore will uncover a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk."

Perhaps they'll have a different kind of hunt? Am I right?

3/5 ⭐

Loved the mood and how Dunn created such a vibrant settings. Usually books set in present time are more my vibe but I feel Dunn painted such a great picture that this book held my interest. The content felt dramatic but didn't fall into the melodramatic side of things. I really liked the main character and how she grew throughout the book!

There was a portion of the book at almost the halfway mark where I felt I needed to slog my way through and lost a bit of interest. But it really picked up at the 75% mark and the ended was perfect! I am interested to read the books Dunn writes in the future!

Lenore’s marriage to her steel magnate husband Henry has soured, and he’s moved the two of them to a ramshackle country estate. En route there, Lenore and Henry rescue Carmilla from the road. As Lenore frantically prepares the manor for an extravagant party and grows closer to the mysterious Carmilla, she begins to see the danger surrounding her.

This is a lesbian, feminist quasi-retelling of the already sapphic, proto-feminist 1872 novella Carmilla. The characters with the exception of Carmilla herself are different, so it could be viewed as a sort of sequel or prequel.

In my opinion, the book’s growing dread and claustrophobic feel of the crumbling house are its best features– very Gothic. I also like how this take retains the simultaneous repulsion and appeal of Carmilla herself. I particularly enjoyed the last 10-20%, which goes off the rails with delightfully grotesque “good for her” vibes. However, I found a number of the added elements, like the critique of capitalism and the terrible husband, disappointingly one-dimensional.

To begin with, thank you very much to both NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book.
It took me a while to get into this book and at first I was not quite sure it would be something I might enjoy, but by the 100 page mark I was invested into the story. The way the story is written is very raw and Lenore, who is the main character and through whom the story is told as it is in the first person point of view, might seem overwhelmingly controlling, mostly of herself, but as the story unfolds, it seems like her words reach to something in the reader that makes her relatable in a way that could justify anything. The rich language and the setting of the novel made this a wonderful read. I give it 4.5, because the beginning was dragged a little further than it should have been, in my opinion. I definitely recommend this book to anyone. who is interested in literary horror and stories who explore topics like female rage, hunger and women who choose to want.

Really loved this modern gothic joy! Engrossing, suspenseful, emotional and harrowing, it really emphasises the lack of power that women have experienced for centuries. The characters are intense, as are my feelings for each of them. The story leaves you with a feeling of sorrow and heartbreak, but also a feeling of justice served and a small sliver of hope for a life reclaimed. The story focuses on the pleasures and freedoms that come from living life for yourself instead of for others, while also managing to focus on the horrors and downsides that can come from such all-consuming hedonism.
A must read for lovers of gothic fiction, vampire fiction, horror and anyone looking for a fantastic feminist retelling of a great classic!

An enjoyable gothic romance. This is an excellent retelling of Carmilla for the modern reader. I appreciate the homages to Dickens and other Victorian writers. The symbolism is heavy handed but because it reads like a penny dreadful, it does not diminish the experience.

this is such a marvelous treatise on women's appetite. i am so in love with Lenore's transition from "i cannot want" to "i want i want i want." and that brief sentence about defining a monster as a thing with agency (':
who else am i in love with hmmm oh Carmilla of course. despite all the things that led Lenore up to this point, she is a lucky lucky woman ;)


thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

I REALLY enjoyed this once I started reading it as a standalone, original story rather than the Carmilla retelling it was billed as. The names are the same and there are lesbian vampires, but that's about the end of the similarities. That being said, this was a phenomenal woman-tells-society-to-fuck-off-and-learns-to-live-authentically story with some excellent body horror. Dunn really captured the essence of the sensation novel, from the language to the wild plot twists.

As a fan of the original Carmilla, this retelling was fantastic! It had a great sapphic love story, mixed with feminine rage that truly makes you root for the fmc in destroying those who’ve wronged her. 10/10 would definitely recommend!

My first Carmilla reworking and I’m pleasantly surprised! Hungerstone follows a married couple who are on their way from their London house to their new countryside manor. Classically they come across a carriage crash with the mysterious Carmilla. Too ill and with no contacts, the couple take Carmilla, and her insatiable hunger, with them to their new home.
My only real struggle with this book was getting through the flashback segments. I found I just didn't care about what happened to Lenor during her childhood, mainly because what's happening to her now is so much more interesting. It felt like the flashbacks had no real plot or intrigue.
The book did feel slow at times and I didn’t find myself fully sucked in until the 50% mark. But once I was in I was in! I can only describe the events that happen in Hungerstone as scandalous. Lenor’s life and how she views the world lulls you into a false sense of properness and decorum. Because of this, I was truly horrified by the moments of this book.
Henry is awful, and so are most of the characters in this book if we’re being honest, but I loved hating him. The dynamic between Henry and Lenor was fascinating. I found I wasn’t too interested in what their shared secret was, usually because I find myself underwhelmed when these things are finally revealed. Their secret was expected but the turn the couple takes in the last half of the book as their masks begin to drop was brilliant. I was here for Carmilla and vampires, but I ended up enthralled by Lenor and Henry. I’d actually go as far as saying I would have enjoyed this equally if there were no vampire stuff at all.
That said, Hungerstone is very light on the supernatural. The book is grounded and you could almost argue the events that happen aren’t supernatural at all and only in the characters' minds. I loved it!
I’d definitely recommend this book for fans of historical fiction who like a bit of horror on the side.