I don’t usually go in for gore, but Chelsea G. Summers’ A Certain Hunger had me riveted, repulsed, and unexpectedly charmed. When a novel begins with the protagonist describing how she murdered a man on Fire Island with an ice pick, you know you’re in for something different. But what A Certain Hunger delivers is not just a grisly tale of cannibalism—it’s also a sharp, biting satire, a love letter to food writing, and a deep dive into the mind of a woman who is both mesmerizing and monstrous.
Dorothy Daniels is a food critic with impeccable taste, a robust sex life, and absolutely no moral compass. Oh—and she’s a cannibal. Somehow, that last detail isn’t mentioned on the book jacket, but I feel like it should be. Readers who shy away from graphic violence (and I count myself among them) might want to know what they’re signing up for. That said, I found myself devouring this book with the same uneasy compulsion as watching Game of Thrones—cringing through the most grotesque parts, occasionally looking away, but always coming back for more.
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Write on the World 