Hunger

When I heard about the premise of this book, I was immediately excited! I have always been fascinated by the the myths and legends of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I don't really know why I find them interesting, but I do. So when I heard about this new series of books, I just had to get them! Like I do with all of my books, I researched before I actually purchased the book. I looked at tons of reviews and watched reviews on youtube. Everyone seemed to love this book and everyone seemed to think the plot was just genius! When I heard what everyone else had to say, there was no doubt that I was going to buy this book as soon as I could.In the very beginning of the book the main character, Lisa, is in the middle of a suicide attempt. (Don't worry, this information is not a spoiler as it happens within the first few pages of the book.) Lisa finds she wakes up and she is alive. She believes she had a really strange dream in which she was bestowed the job of Famine. For a while after her "dream" Lisa experiences some things she can not explain and begins to think she is going crazy. When I started this book it immediately threw me in to the main plot of the story. At first I felt like something was missing. I felt like the author should have at least given a little bit of background information about Lisa before she was made Famine in the story, but later I realized nothing was missing. Everything you need to know about Lisa is explained as she goes through the days following her suicide attempt.To be honest, I didn't like this book at first. I read 3 or 4 chapters and I just wasn't excited about the story. I didn't really care about what was happening. I felt bad for Lisa, I felt bad that she had such a horrible view of herself and her body. That was not enough to make me want to read on though. There wasn't anything happening that had me thinking about the book after I set it down. It was easy for me to put this book down without a second thought! I started to feel like maybe I was missing something. Everyone seemed to love this book and I was not loving it! Even though I was a little bored with the story I kept reading, and I am glad I didn't give up on this book!I was over half way through the story when I really started to enjoy what I was reading. There is a point where the way Lisa thinks is changed. I can't really explain how the story shifts without giving any spoilers, but it was then I realized how great this book really is. I realized I didn't like the first half of the book because it was kind of depressing. It was sad really. I couldn't imagine feeling about myself how Lisa feels about herself. As I was reading I just wanted her to snap out of it and to feel better about herself. I hated reading and experiencing how she felt and how those feelings were affecting her life and the relationships she had with people she loved. I have never know someone who had anorexia or bulimia, so I don't know a lot about it, but this book definitely gave me an understanding of what it is like to hate yourself, or to hate your own body.This book really is genius. A girl who is anorexic and starves herself on purpose is made to be Famine. She is forced to see and to feel the pain of those who are starving, not because they think they are fat, but because they are not fortunate enough to have food to eat. In the back of the book there is a note from the author that describes her own struggle with body issues and eating disorders. So she didn't just research to write this book, she actually lived through something similar and has first hand experience in what it is like to feel the way Lisa did.Although I ended up liking this book, I do not think I will pick up the other books in the series.

This book was nothing like I expected it to be, it was better. The premise of the novel is such a great one; an anorexic girl is made to become Famine, one of the Four Horsemen. That sounds great right? The execution of it was brilliant. Kessler manages to write great, poetic descriptions, all while staying grounded. The main character Lisabeth was realistic and relatable. She wasn't some all powerful Mary Sue, she didn't even come close. Her voice was genuine and her struggles felt real. And I have to say this, the author did an amazing job at portraying eating disorders. Finally a writer that does her homework.When I first got my hands on the book I was a little worried; a little under two hundred pages makes it one of the shorter novels on my shelf. But once I started reading all fears were assuaged. The pacing was perfect. Honestly if it was stretched out, in an attempt to be say 300+ pages, it would have been detrimental to the story.Lisabeth's struggle throughout the novel, both with her disorder and as Famine, was very well done. The author didn't offer any sort of insta-fixes or magical solutions. We see a girl who is fighting to break free of dangerous habits and take charge of her life and along the way we get to see all the traps and pitfalls she faces. One part that bugged me a little, at first, was the lack of characterization in the secondary players, besides the fellow Horsemen. Lisabeth's friends and parents just seemed like tokens, there to simply fill a void/make a point. But after getting through the novel I realized that it was purposfully done that way. Lisabeth cut ties in her life and her disease alienated her from loved ones and reality. Everything about this novel was just extremely well writter, especially the ending. Like I said before, there are no insta-fixes or sudden epiphenies. It stays true to life the whole way through.I believe that everyone should give this book a chance. Especially teens, both male and female. Even for those who have no connection or ties to the concept of eating disorders this book offers an inside look that anyone could benefit from. Currently there is a stigma on eating disorders. People who have them are labeled as freaks or just as being weak. Hopefully with books like Hunger putting the idea that eating disorders are legitamite diseases out in the world, the stigma itself might go away.All in all Hunger was a great read, thought provoking and touching. And I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel.

“Hunger” not only satisfied me as a reader, but also tackled the issue of eating disorders in a clever yet informative way. This was much more than a fantasy read, and yet it was never preachy.Although I have known people that were anorexic, this took me into the mind-set of a girl battling with a too-common teenage problem, with an added touch of allegory that worked brilliantly.From the opening moments when Lisa had to deal with her appropriate appointment as Famine, her thought processes were confused as she tried to absorb the new role into her troubled social life. The tense family situation and her fragile friendships seemed realistic, with her struggles over food ever present and understandable, given the pressures to fit the norm.But the illness of anorexia nervosa is part of Lisa’s personality and life, never a tedious lecture from the author. Jackie Morse Kessler has experienced eating disorders first hand, so that authenticity blends well with the unfolding tale. The ‘Thin Voice’ that drives Lisa’s insecurity becomes not just Lisa’s alter-ego but also a central antagonist.The writing is a strong mix of teenage distractions, psychological tribulations and fantastical challenges. Some readers might wonder why Lisa’s actions as Famine, especially her final decision, are somewhat illogical at times. She’s supposed to be Famine, so why is she doing that…? Because this is her take on Famine, perhaps.Throughout the novel, my mind kept flipping between ‘this is a real fantasy’ and ‘this is in her confused mind’. How much is the calling to be one of the Four Horseman in her head? Perhaps that is why Death appears in the form of Kurt Cobain and plays Nirvana numbers on his guitar – that’s her take on Death.After this engrossing opening novel, I’m intrigued to read the second Riders of the Apocalypse book, “Rage”, to see how Jackie Morse Kessler handles the next appointee and her self-mutilation.SPOILER WARNING: It’s only when Lisa faces her greatest nemesis, a fellow Horseman, that she can finally confront the ‘Thin voice’ and her illness. Maybe that is what Lisa gain from her appointment as Famine.

These books have always been of interest to me but I've never been able to find them in any of my local bookshops. I don't even think they have been released in the UK by a UK publisher. Anyway, the idea of a YA novel about the riders of the apocalypse is so awesome! It's something that grabbed my attention straight away, it's such an interesting subject and it's something I wanted to learn more about after I had finished the book. Kessler deals with the Horsemen who are as old as time itself and incorporates them into the modern world. She does this flawlessly and it is brilliant! I loved everything about this book. Especially the realistic way she deals with the problem of anorexia.Hunger follows Lisabeth, a seventeen year old girl who is struggling to cope with anorexia. A small annoying voice in her mind always tells her she is fat and she constantly loses weight. The problem is she cannot see the effect it is having on her. Those around her see there is a problem with her weight and they try to confront her but she denies it all. It isn't until she comes face to face with Death and gets granted the power of Famine that she begins to realise how ill she is. She also sees the effect hunger has on the world and as Famine she sets out to help. But her power is so much greater than she imagined and it could have horrifying consequences. Can she learn to battle that small voice in her head and help the Hunger in the world?Lisabeth Lewis was an interesting character. She seems like a normal teenage girl who hangs about with her boyfriend but underneath her baggy clothes, she is practically just bones. She is mentally ill, the little voice in her head talks to her all the time, it forces her to exercise after everything she eats. It's quite horrifying to see the extent of the effect anorexia can have on someone. It also shows how much it can affect your daily life.The other character I really liked was Death. He looked like a teenage rock star but in reality he is thousands of years old. He is wise beyond his years. He has the ability to take a life and he's also the leader of the horsemen. When you picture death you seem to think of a bad guy but Death was probably the nicest horsemen and actually It would be amazing to meet such a wise soul who has seen the world change so much.Hunger is a brilliantly unique book. The writing flows flawlessly and the idea is just so so unique. It also has one gorgeous cover. I really recommend this book. Yes is has fantasy elements with the Horsemen but it is also a very eye opening contemporary. You can learn a lot about anorexia in this book, and how it effects people. It's important to realise how it effects people and they don't realise, it is an illness just like anything else. It isn't something to make fun of, it is a very serious matter. Yes this book has dark realistic themes but it is such a good book. I really recommend it. Thanks to this book I want to learn more about the horsemen of the apocalypse. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series!

Lisabeth Lewis has a strange dream where she is visited by Death and appointed as one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, Famine to be precise. Lisa thinks it's just a stupid dream, after all why would she be Famine? She knows how fat she is and the thin voice is always telling her. But when Lisa realises that it isn't all a dream, she's led on a journey where she discovers places where people go hungry because they have no choice and the horrifying effects of her new power. But will Lisa be able to accept the truth, overcome her inner demons and harness her powers to help people?This book has one of the most unique premises I've heard in a long time, in fact the entire series does. This is the first of four books, each dealing with a horseman of the apocalypse and associating it with a teen mental health issue. This book deals with Famine and eating disorders and the next book  Rage  deals with War and self-harm, with two further books to follow.This deals with big issues - suicide, anorexia, bulimia - and all are handled in a realistic yet sensitive way. In the author's note at the end of the book, Jackie Morse Kessler talks about her past eating disorder and this makes Lisa's struggle seem more realistic. I've never had an eating disorder, although I have battled with my weight and body image, so I could relate to Lisa in a small way but I still found it slightly disturbing reading an anorexic's point of view.The book is cleverly written with a carefully crafted plot that manages to show how Lisa is choosing to starve herself, while many people are starving to death because of circumstances outside of their control. Some of the background characters, like Lisa's parents weren't particularly well developed but this is a short book (175 pages) so there isn't really room to do so. My favourite character has to be Death as his snarky gallows humour lifts the book and prevents it from becoming depressing.Oh, and a portion of the proceeds of the book goes to an eating disorder charity.All in all, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to reading  Rage , out April 2011.Plot: 10/10Characters: 9/10Ending: 10/10Enjoyment: 10/10Cover: 10/10Overall: 49/50 RageRage

This is not a light read and it's a pretty hard hitting story, though with a fantastical twist that softens the edges enough that it isn't over-bearing.The horsemen of the apocalypse was such an original idea and combining that with the internal struggle of Lisa's anorexia makes this book a stroke of genius which anyone who has ever counted the calories, will relate too.On a more basic and erm slightly girly level...Death sounds pretty nice! I don't mean dying of course, I mean the horseman who is Death. Not only is he described as being just a bit hot, he's also (ironically enough) probably the most caring of the horsemen and perhaps the one who teaches Lisa the most about her job.There is a lot more to this book than spreading the need to eat lots or depriving people from food and it's amazing how Lisa manages to turn, not only her abilities around, but her life around in the process of being a horseman. Oh and watch out for War, I really really did not like that girl!

I am speechless.Just kidding. I have a lot to say about this book. First of which should be that it was amazing. It is great to have a book that has a nice blurb. I mean when you hear about a book that’s about an anorexic girl who becomes Famine, one of the four Riders of the Apocalypse, what do you think? I thought that this is the coolest thing I have ever heard!Jackie Morse Kessler publishes under two names. One is this one and the other is Jackie Kessler. Before this one I knew only of her adult works. But boy. While her adult works were highly entertaining, then here she touches on topics that most authors either shy away from or do not manage to quite execute in a way that is believable. Kessler’s writing style is very enjoyable, the pages of the book fly by with a blink of an eye.Speaking of flying by, this book is not a particularly long one. I cannot decide if that is good or bad. Bad in the sense that I wanted more. I wanted to keep reading about what Famine does, what happens to Lisabeth. But the book is so perfectly paced. I have a feeling that adding or cutting anything else might have disturbed that. So all in all, I would say that it is a good thing. Kessler does not need fillers, her own story is too compelling. Plus, short or not, this book packs the punch of a book two to three times that long.On to the story. The blurb sounded awesome. And the story does not disappoint. There are good ideas out there. And there is no shame in doing something that has an established coolness, as long as it is well done. But the idea in “Hunger” is the most original thing I have read. And aside from the fantastic idea, it is not only the blurb that is cool. The book itself holds up to the promise and it is a rollercoaster.And I like that the problem of eating disorders was not pushed to the background of the fantasy element. It gives an amazing insight to what people who have that kind of a problem think. For a moment it all seems logical. And then you distance yourself from it and realize how it really is a disease. Sure, it is something that goes on in their heads (at first), but that does not make the problem any less real. I am sure every girl (and I imagines most guys) have the days when they feel bigger than they should. The “thin” voice that Lisa has… I am sure it intimately calls to many readers. I did not know whilst reading this that Kessler had a problem with an eating disorder when young, so I was especially amazed with how believable it all was. But I guess that sort of understanding only comes out of actually having experience with it.The protagonist is an anorexic seventeen year old girl, Lisabeth. She herself does not believe she has an eating disorder, believing that if she were anorexic then she would be thin. I think Lisa is impossible not to sympathize with. I may not agree with what she thinks, but she so strongly believes in what she does that it really got to me. Sadly what she does is not the least bit positive. But she really grows as Famine. For this story she is the perfect heroine. Not perfect in the sense that she is pretty and smart and confident. But her flaws make her… well... flawless (that sounded a lot more elegant in my head)We have a few side characters. Tammy is Lisa’s friend who is bulimic. It is kind of odd to see how Lisa idolizes her. I do not want to give anything away so I will leave this at that.She has a caring father, a distant mother and a nice boyfriend. But I have to say, I immensely enjoyed Death as someone who looks like Kurt Cobain, singing Nirvana songs and having the, and I quote, “A gallows humour”.All in all this is an amazing book. It deals with a delicate subject with a touch of fantasy. I loved it and I think it would give insight to many. I really recommend it to everyone. It gets five stars. Serious ones.---This review is also on my blog:[...]