Book Review: Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Title: Hunger (Riders of the Apocalypse #1)
Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Paperback: 180 pages
Publisher: Graphia
ISBN: 0547341245
Source: Netgalley

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

Purchase Links: Kindle | Amazon

Review

Hunger has piqued my imagination when I first saw the cover. Reading the synopsis of what the book is about, I became fascinated and  requested for an eARC of the book. The four horsemen of the Apocalypse was something I was interested in reading and thus my choice in choosing the book.

Teen issues are very hard to write about. The book can either be too “in your face” or too vague, although there are some great stories that pulled this off effectively. For Hunger what makes it a good candidate is the incorporation of an idea (myths) that the readers maybe comfortable together with sensitive topics that needs to be addressed. The book is blunt about eating disorder. You’ll immediately read about it but as I said, Hunger is handled differently and this made this book stand out.

What I don’t like about the book is the fact that it is too short, just under 200 pages. Although the idea was there, it needed more. I wanted to read more on how Kessler will take on the horseman BUT that is not the heart of the book but still –  I wanted more of the mythology and fantasy injected in the book.

All in all, Hunger has potential. It can be a great read. The message was delivered clearly. It may not be as strong as some similar books but you still get the message imparted and enjoy it at the end of the day. Kessler gives a different twist to an interesting topic. Collaborating the mystical elements of fictional character to real issues that teens encounter everyday, Hunger is a great book to share to young readers.

I’ll give you a heads up though, you might imagine Kurt Cobain as death. Haha!

- this is a repost that was originally published in the former blog -

RATING: ★★★★