I really enjoyed What Hunger. Catherine Dang delivers a bizarre and horrific story that’s perfectly weird in all the right ways. The novel follows Ronny Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American teenager grappling with generational trauma and the violent power of teenage girlhood. After a series of tragedies, Ronny develops an insatiable craving for raw meat, leading her down a dark and unsettling path. I love a good cannibalism story, and this one didn’t disappoint. It’s a haunting coming-of-age tale that’s both disturbing and captivating, making it a standout read for fans of unconventional horror.

Coming of age story that follows Ronny, a 13 year old Vietnamese-American girl, through the summer and into her first year of high school. Tragedy strikes twice, leaving Ronny grappling with death, violence, what it means to be the child of immigrants, and a growing hunger for raw meat.

There’s been a lot of cannibalism as a metaphor media lately, to the point where I think it’s a little over-saturated, but having this be from such a young perspective felt fresh. Dang writes Ronny with such a gentleness that she balances the natural teenage brattiness with gentle empathy. She is a strong girl whose rage and revenge fantasies felt so familiar to my own, though most of us are unable to act on them.

For such a short book there’s a lot of revelations, some of which I wish had more detailing, but I appreciate the author’s choice to only let us into the information that Ronny receives in bits and pieces. This is a book written with a lot of love and nuance for its characters, and I’d be interested to follow adult Ronny in a sequel.

definitely for fans of jennifer’s body and little fires everywhere. how the author managed to combine elements of these two is beyond me, but damn she delivered

also for fans of shy girl by mia ballard and nightbitch by rachel yoder. these books check off the following boxes for me: weird girl lit, feminine rage, body horror, revenge

i finished this book in one sitting. it was visceral, gutting, devastating. every page was so riveting, i was obsessed!!!

thank you so much to net galley, catherine dang and danielle from simon & schuster for my copy 🫀

I loved this richly imagined coming-of-age story that seeps feeling and flavor. When Ronny's family experiences an unspeakable tragedy, the gaps in the family dynamic become even more obvious. As she tries to find her footing in her altered world, a hunger starts to build in her... for raw meat. Was this part of her always under the surface, or have circumstances changed her forever?

This coming of age cannibal-light story follows Ronny, the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, during the summer before high school. Her older brother, Tommy is preparing to go off to college, after which she'll be left alone with her parents, never able to live up to Tommy's potential in their eyes. But when disaster strikes twice, Ronny is left reeling from her loss. The family dynamic begins to degrade, punctuated only by the arrival of Ronny's aunt, a loud, brash woman who isn't afraid to spill a few family secrets of life before America.

Central to Ronny's journey is food - it is what connects her to her heritage and her parents homeland. But following the life-altering events of the novel, Ronny begins to develop a craving for raw meat. Her hunger is insatiable, her life is falling apart, but Ronny's rage only fuels her endeavors. As a protagonist, Ronny is endearing with her human flaws and her newfound ability to take no shit. Dang weaves a heartfelt and unsettling story of generational trauma, the immigrant experience, and family. Equal parts emotional and disturbing, this was a compelling and entertaining read.

✨ ARC Review: What Hunger by Catherine Dang ✨

THANK YOU SO MUCH to Catherine Dang and Danielle at Simon & Schuster for this ARC! 💙

From page one, this book grips you. The overwhelming sense of dread—NOTHING could have prepared me for the twists and turns this story takes.

First of all… why did this book make me hungry? 🍽️👀
Second—this is a perfect example of a coming-of-(r)age story. I loved following Veronica’s journey through grief and the way the background characters were developed so deeply along the way.

📖 Ratings (Historically a low rater 😉)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Loved it! Recommending to a friend!
🩶 - Dark (Check trigger warnings!)
🔪🔪 - Gore level! (Check trigger warnings!)

✨ Spoilers ✨
I LOVED learning more about Tommy… and I really wish we could have seen Michael get what he deserves. 😉

#WhatHunger #CatherineDang #BookReview #ARCReview #SimonAndSchuster #ThrillerBooks #DarkReads #Bookstagram #Bookish #ComingOfRage #PsychologicalThriller #BookLover #SpookyReads #ReadingCommunity

Woah, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into from the cover and the beginning itself. It took me on a grief ride. I really loved the aspects of brother and sister relationship and then into the horror bits. I can’t wait to get this book when it comes out!

thank you to #netgalley for this arc!!

first off, i loved this book. the cover is absolutely gorgeous. the story is heartbreaking and gory and beautiful at the same time. i loved an insight into vietnamese culture that i had never known before. truly a wonderful book & am looking forward to reading more of the author’s work!

I went into What Hunger mostly blind. I expected a story of a young girl navigating puberty but was hit was something so much better.

Right away we are thrown into a story that showcases the difficulties of being a girl in the shadow of her older sibling while also navigating living up to the expectations of immigrant parents. While handling her own family dynamics she's also entering high school, discovering romantic relationships, navigating bullying and racism, and so much more.

This books plunges you into family tragedy and takes an even more macabre turn that was unexpected, at least for me. I have to say, I enjoyed reading the female protagonist "lash out" out those who hurt her and ultimately abuse her. I had no sympathy for the person/people she hurt. The world continued to cave in on her and she did what she had to.

There are many layers to this story and a lot of thematics to unpack. I would recommend this to anyone looking to explore female rage and how that is impacted by a world that is not inherently made for you.

This book was really well written. I loved the descriptions of the traditional foods and the cultural insight. Veronica coming to the realization that her parents are whole individual people outside of parenthood was well captured. I also appreciated the viewpoint of having to maintain a normal life when immersed in such intense grief and confusion and loss because those around you are not experiencing what you are. Highly recommend!

“What Hunger” by Catherine Dang is a coming-of-age novel centered on Ronny Nguyen and her family. Ronny is growing up in a Vietnamese immigrant household when a series of tragedies strikes, leaving her family struggling to cope. Her parents have already faced significant trauma before arriving in the U.S., only to confront further loss and a lack of healthy coping mechanisms.

As Ronny navigates high school, she develops a taste for blood. The story explores themes of family, secrets, trauma, revenge, and connection. Readers will reflect on the interplay between rage and vengeance versus survival, as well as society’s treatment of various crimes and actions. The metaphor of a taste for blood during female puberty, intertwined with Catholicism and the concept of transubstantiation, runs throughout the book.

If you enjoyed Stephen King’s “Carrie” or “Jennifer’s Body,” you may find this novel appealing. However, it’s advisable for readers to check the content warnings first, as the book alludes to themes of sexual assault and domestic violence. I would recommend this book to others. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader's copy (ARC).

The story is interesting, but I didn't care for the writing style. I knew this was a coming-of-age story, but the prose comes across as very mediocre and too obvious. The protagonist is a complex character which I appreciated, but I just didn't care for her parents. They seemed so fake and wooden. I didn't mind the cannibalism references, but the writing is what aggravated me. I think this novel will appeal to a lot of people, but I needed more substance to fully immerse myself in the plot.

Ah, gosh. I wanted to like this one, but I really just couldn't get into it.
I am still really thankful to the publisher, author, and Netgalley -- but this one just wasn't for me.

For fans of Jennifer’s Body and Little Fires Everywhere is 100% accurate. Also for fans of Nightbitch. Cannibalism, teenage girlhood, generational trauma, the American Dream, familial relationships, this book has it all. It’s definitely a quick read, coming in at 300 pages, but I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what Ronny was going to do next. The perfect read for summertime with your window open in the evening as you listen to the cicadas, your shoulders a little red and warm and burnt from being outside.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for an ARC of this!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. I wasn’t sure what I was in for, but I knew I liked Little Fires Everywhere so I jumped in. I appreciate hearing so much about Vietnamese culture but this book is incredibly sad and odd .. I just finished it 5 min ago and I am not sure how I feel about it?

What in the humanly vile, stomach churning, wickedly addictive thing is this … I’m obsessed?? I couldn’t help but be fully immersed. The journey throughout was engrossing. It was deep, rage full, gripping, and raw (hah). The Viet culture played a big part in the storyline, and as a half viet person myself who grew up in a very Vietnamese household, I couldn't have been more exhilarated about it. When my eyes caught on to the cover, I couldn't help but be immediately intrigued. I went in half blind with a few expectations, and wow did it check off all the marks. The writing had me hooked and immersed to the point I lost track of time. I would've loved an extra chapter, tho it doesn't matter anyway because I'm satisfied with how it ended.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc!! <3

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! First of all, I loved how Asian forward this book was. I am half Filipino and I grew up with a Vietnamese best friend and I can say the Asian family dynamics in this book were so authentic and such a true delight to read. I found myself really attached to the characters. The premise is absolutely wild and inventive. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and I could absolutely see this making a wonderful movie/series adaptation. this book is actually such an empowering portrayal of owning ur feminine rage. I really enjoyed it. I cried when Tommy died. I screamed with excitement when the cannibalism really took off. I really want to thank the author for portraying the Vietnamese experience but with such a creative twist. We need more books like this!!!

Wow, This book is stunning and deep. Layers of trauma and relationship trouble. The author explores and unpacks it all! I was hooked. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I think I would consider this 3.5/5 stars... It's a solid read. I felt a strong connection to the main character and to the themes being explored, but something kept me from becoming completely invested. For a premise that promises excitement and emotion, it didn't fully live up to that potential; I never felt the emotion of the story on a visceral level like some other books have made me feel.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of What Hunger!

This is a dark exploration of teenage girlhood with themes of cannibalism, grief, and female rage. The writing was captivating, eliciting visceral reactions from me while reading. The portrayal of generational trauma through the Vietnamese family the book is centered around is gutwrenching and honest. A few scenes containing body horror were stomach-turning but also engrossing. The story follows our main character, teenage Ronny who endures a series of traumatic events. As a result, she comes into her own and explores herself through some darker avenues.

The writing was good, but I hoped for more reliability or a clear "wow this speaks to me" moment. I'd still recommend this for anyone interested in a quicker coming-of-age horror story.