Hungerstone
Written by Kat Dunn
Narrated by Perdita Weeks
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
A compulsive feminist reworking of Carmilla, the queer novella that inspired Dracula.
“Hungerstone is a delicious tribute to the inherent horrors of womanhood and the desperate and exquisite vulgarity of desire. This is everything I dream of in a novel.” ―Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning and Lady Macbeth
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.
Kat Dunn
Kat Dunn grew up in London and has lived in Japan, Australia and France. She has a BA in Japanese from SOAS and an MA in English from Warwick. She's written about mental health for Mind and the Guardian and worked as a translator for Japanese television. Kat Dunn's YA fiction has been published by Head of Zeus and Andersen Press, including Bitterthorn, which was shortlisted for the Nero Book Awards and the Polari Prize and nominated for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing. Hungerstone was her hugely acclaimed adult fiction debut. Follow Kat @KatAliceDunn
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Reviews for Hungerstone
215 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Aug 1, 2025
This book was incredible from start to finish and has everything you’re looking for if you’re seeking “female rage.” Set in Victorian England and told from the first-point perspective of Lenore, the book follows an Aristocratic god wife who fought her way to the top by arranging a union with a “new money” husband. Carmilla snakes her way into Lenore’s home and life and completely upends her way of thinking, daring her to *live*. There is murder, sapphic relations, lust, suspicion, and (most importantly) revenge.
Inspired by the original Carmilla, Kat Dunn puts a modern twist on the tale, leaving Carmilla herself a mystery and instead focuses on the appetite and hunger that a woman is allowed to want. 10/10 listen to this book! The narrator does a fantastic job as well.3 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Aug 1, 2025
In tone Hungerstone by Kat Dunn reminds me of Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill. Both are gothic novels. Both are reflections on the status of women. Dunn’s book is a feminist retelling of Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1872 novella, Carmilla. McGill’s novel is a feminist tale which springs from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Both offer suspense that drives the reader to each story’s ’ climax, and dénouement.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Aug 1, 2025
Great Victorian drama. She has done her homework on the era.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Sep 13, 2025
I've always been a fan of the original Carmilla, and this was a really fun retelling. The best book I've read this year. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Aug 4, 2025
Enthralling. Wonderfully written point of view and very thought provoking. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Aug 1, 2025
This book was so much better than I expected. It has been a while since I've listened to an historical book like this, but once I started I was determined to finish. I'm so glad that I did. Lenora's journey from the beginning to the end is so eye-opening and refreshing. I was cheering at the end. I'm waiting for the movie and would hope that they would stick to the story. This is fantastic and I'm looking forward to listening to more of Kat Dunn. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Aug 1, 2025
A pretty good addition to the “good for her” genre
