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Hunger (Riders of the Apocalypse #1)

by Jackie Kessler (Goodreads Author)

3.55 of 5 stars 3.55 · rating details · 2,217 ratings · 689 reviews

Jackie Morse Kessler's Riders of the Apocalypse series follows teens who are transformed into the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. In "Hunger," 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...more

ebook, 180 pages

Published October 18th 2010 by Graphia Books

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Feb 22, 2012 Jackie Kessler added it · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Shelves: i-wrote-it

What can I say? If I didn't love it, I wouldn't have written it. :)

HUNGER was brewing for 10 years before I finally sat down to write it. And then it all came pouring out. It was cathartic. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

A portion of proceeds will be donated to the National Eating Disorders Association. So if you buy this book -- thank you for helping to make a difference!

42 likes · like · see review

Feb 11, 2013 Kira rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Again: Neutral rating. Just so peeps can see my review.

I actually haven't read this book. But before I read it, I have something to say about it.

From what I've heard, it's a pretty decent read. The premise sounds excellent. Well, excellent to an extent.

I understand that the main body of YA authors today are female. Being females, most of us understand the mind of a female. But I'm afraid that isn't good enough for me. I'd like to read a really good book that was written by a woman, from the per...more

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Nov 19, 2011 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya

five stars for INtent, three stars for CONtent.

so the premise of this book is that an anorexic teenage girl is chosen to fill the office of Famine. yeah, Famine - as in four horsemen of the apocalypse Famine. that one. awesome, right? as someone who de-voured all of piers anthony's "incarnations of immortality" books as a teen, this is right up my alley. (incidentally - for fans of that series - did you even know that a "new" one came out a few years ago that he self-published?? Under a Velvet ...more

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Nov 26, 2010 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Laurie Halse Anderson who are willing to read something with a bit more paranormal flare

Shelves: out-of-the-box-ideas, stories-with-a-message, exceeded-my-expectations, glad-i-gave-it-a-chance, 2010-reads, reviewed

The four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: not something you ordinarily find among the vampires, werewolves, fairies, and mermaids that pollute YA fiction these days. Even before I opened this book, I knew that I was probably already biased into liking it because of the premise alone. The only worry I had was if I would like the actual execution of the idea. Many authors, especially those in the YA genre, have mucked up very good ideas with a litany of flat characters, dull writing, lacking plot, and/...more The four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: not something you ordinarily find among the vampires, werewolves, fairies, and mermaids that pollute YA fiction these days. Even before I opened this book, I knew that I was probably already biased into liking it because of the premise alone. The only worry I had was if I would like the actual execution of the idea. Many authors, especially those in the YA genre, have mucked up very good ideas with a litany of flat characters, dull writing, lacking plot, and/or too much focus on romance above everything else. Needless to say, I felt Kessler gave a solid novel that could have been drowned in darkness, angst, melodrama, or all of the above -- but, amazingly, the novel doesn't feel heavy at all. It feels just right.

The story is a quick read, less than two hundred pages, and it shows the journey of a girl named Lisa through her new duty as Famine, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, even as she continues to struggle with the real-life issue of an eating disorder.

I have to say I was surprised by this book. Unlike other paranormal YA books that focus on romance or the paranormal aspects above everything else, this one barely touched upon romance or the paranormal at all and focused solely on Lisa's growth. She alienates herself from her parents, her friends, and her boyfriend because of her eating disorder, and then she throws herself into the escape of being Famine. What's refreshing about Lisa is that she's not a love-sick puppy, a dullard, or even a Mary Sue. Though she does have many battles with self-worth and the doubt that accompanies it, I feel that teenage girls who read this book would readily relate to Lisa since body image is something most teenagers, male OR female, struggle with at some point. This story focuses on that struggle first and foremost and how it correlates to Lisa's new role as Famine.

The other three Horsemen (Death, War, and Pestilence) also make appearances -- and each spare their own 'wisdoms' (or lack thereof in the case of War) as Lisa takes hold of her new powers. (Death was a particular favorite of mine since his sense of humor was sardonically perfect in this novel. 'Gallows humor,' indeed!)

The length of the novel was an issue with me at first -- who in YA these days can write a good paranormal-esque novel in less than 200 pages? -- but, as I neared the end, I felt the story was given the perfect amount of pages. Any more and it probably would have dragged; any less and it would have been a short story and not a novel. Messler did her idea justice, and I'm glad the story wasn't given the option of staying too long for its welcome.

In the end, I did like it quite a bit, and I can't wait to read the rest of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series, the next one of which is Rage, due out in early 2011. Chances are that I'll be clamoring to get it and devour it.(less)

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Nov 23, 2012 Raechella rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-series, fantasy, young-adult, reviewed

I deem it unnecessary to be forlorn if you are plumpish or whatsoever, as long as you’re not excessively fat. Trust me; looking healthy is much better than looking sickly. Do you even think you’ll look good without enough flesh or curves to fit into your clothes?

According to statistics, In the United States alone, it has been estimated that 8 million people have an eating disorder—7 million goes to women while the remaining 1 million goes to men. One in 200 American women suffers from anorexia,...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Tracey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, libraryread-tcpl, re-read, e-text, libraryread-idm

Previously read March 2011 - re-read as prep for sequel Rage

While the concept is nothing new - humans becoming a power/concept/force of nature incarnate (see Piers Anthony's On A Pale Horse & the rest of the Incarnations of Immortality, Death in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, and, for that matter - the 4 Horsemen in Pratchett & Gaiman's Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch) I think Morse Kessler's twist on the idea is intriguing. An anorexic girl is ta...more

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Jul 19, 2010 AtenRa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fiction, paranormal, mythology, gods-and-goddesses

"Thou art Famine,yo."

How can you not love a book that has that line in it?It's impossible!
When I first read Hunger's summary, I thought that that is the book for me.I love the Four Horseman/Apocalypse/Harbinger stories and I was so excited to read this,I can't even tell you!To be honest, I was expecting it to be more to the paranormal/supernatural side and it-surprisingly-wasn't, and thank God for that because I find that the matter it approaches is way more important than any paranormal story,...more "Thou art Famine,yo."

How can you not love a book that has that line in it?It's impossible!
When I first read Hunger's summary, I thought that that is the book for me.I love the Four Horseman/Apocalypse/Harbinger stories and I was so excited to read this,I can't even tell you!To be honest, I was expecting it to be more to the paranormal/supernatural side and it-surprisingly-wasn't, and thank God for that because I find that the matter it approaches is way more important than any paranormal story, however good.

Anorexia and bulimia are diseases.If you're thinking of losing weight by not eating or by throwing up what you eat, you are sick and you should immediately seek help.That's an undeniable fact.No way around it, no loopholes, no excuses.Lisa,the lead, is sick.Kessler herself,was sick for a short period of time and through her amazing writing,we are witnessing Lisa's slow and painful demise.I am not even going to dwell on the myriads of negatives aspects of being anorexic or bulimic.The one-chapter,"ritual" ,of Lisa's friend stuffing herself with anything she can find and then forcing herself to lose it was shocking, to say the least,and if that doesn't make you want to even reconsider doing something resembling that, I don't know what will.

But,in the end,Lisa found herself and through her eye opening experience as Famine, she learned first hand about misery and poverty and finally,actual hunger.It was not easy,of course.Even in the end we see Lisa struggling to eat, even though she knows it's the right thing to do, it's what she HAS to do to help people in need, and I loved how Kessler used Lisa's compassion for others as a way to make her start eating again.She was not able to care about herself because she neither understood nor believed that anything was wrong with her , but she could still care about others, and that was enough to save her.

That being said, there is also a fun side to this book.Difficult to believe,but it's true!You can't help but crack a smile at Kessler's clever humour and witty one liners, a very welcome change to the otherwise gloomy and depressing content.I mean, come on!Death playing "Come As You Are" on his guitar?Awesome!

The only problem I had with Hunger was its length.It was so short!I would like some more character development, especially War.And basically I wanted more material to read,more printed words,please!

So, even though Hunger left me wanting a lot more pages to gnaw at, it was an amazing start to a series and to all of you teens out there who don't even like paranormal:you should read this book,regardless!
Looking forward to Rage, coming out Spring 2011!!

Note:A portion of the proceeds of Hunger will be donated to NEDA(National Eating Disorders Association) so go buy the book, you guys!
(less)

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May 21, 2012 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adults-these-days

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was best friends for many years with a woman who was a recovering anorexic. She no longer counted calories feverishly or exercised four hours every day, but having a "fat" day or being bloated would bring her down harder than anybody I've ever met. Very occasionally, you could see her weigh in her head the amount of calories in a food and perhaps how long it would take her to work it off before she caught herself. Kessler does a great job of highlighting how exhausting that must be, to always...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't normally set expectations for things because if whatever it is doesn't live up to those expectations, you have no one to blame but yourself. So outside of reasonable expectations, I don't go into things like, say, most books, all ramped up for it thinking it was going to be something great. Usually. Unfortunately I did that with this one and, sad to say, my expectations were not lived up to. My bad.

I guess going in the concept I had brewing of an anorexic girl as Famine was beyond what t...more I don't normally set expectations for things because if whatever it is doesn't live up to those expectations, you have no one to blame but yourself. So outside of reasonable expectations, I don't go into things like, say, most books, all ramped up for it thinking it was going to be something great. Usually. Unfortunately I did that with this one and, sad to say, my expectations were not lived up to. My bad.

I guess going in the concept I had brewing of an anorexic girl as Famine was beyond what this story provided. And that's okay, but I wasn't all that impressed with where it went. And I do think that's thinking outside of my original expectations of it.

Lisabeth is anorexic and for some unknown reason, Death knights her into Famine to spread the doom piece all over the world. Her outward battle with her new-found powers and the bitch that is War blatantly mirrors her inner struggle with her eating disorder. I get that. But I couldn't help but feel that the story was missing something.

The writing's pretty good and it helped that the story was short so I zipped through it pretty quickly. I liked how Lisa's problem is portrayed in conjunction with her friends that want to help her and her "friend" that enables her. It's a good dynamic. But tied in with being Famine, I just felt the connector was a little flat.

Lisa goes from petulant denial that's she's anorexic to fully accepting the fact that she's anorexic in only a matter of pages but there wasn't really any big revealing action that caused that epiphany. One moment it was denial and the next she was kind of going over herself as Famine and the word just sort of fell into her thoughts. And she was okay with that. I didn't like that.

But the lack of a 'why' was what really turned me away from the story. Death kind of latched onto this sick girl, gave her these crazy powers, all to teach her a lesson? Why? It just seems like such an infinitesimal thing for such an infinite being to do and the explanation for it wasn't anywhere near what I felt it needed to be in order to properly explain that why. At the end of the book Lisa isn't suffering from Special Child Syndrome. She doesn't differ from any of the other thousands of anorexics in the world. So why her? That question wasn't answered for me and that really bothers me.

Overall it's a decent book. I liked all of the characters and the situations they were put in but I just didn't feel it was strong enough to carry the premise. There were a few too many holes in a very interesting topic for me (the Horsemen) that were left unexplained. I honestly don't know if I'm going to venture further into the series as it comes out. If I don't have anything in my pile to read, maybe because I wasn't uninterested. But I'm not itching to grab the next book.(less)

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Sep 16, 2012 Melissa Wehunt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, ya, ya-contemporary-fiction, ya-fantasy, ya-realistic, four-horseman-of-the-apocolypse, famine, bulimia, anorexia, realistic-fiction-teen, relationships, mother-daughter-issues, parental-issues, self-loathing, self-destruction, self-discovery, recovery, eating-disorders

My first instinct was to dislike this book. But really, I think that is because it was just bringing up a lot of old issues for me. Not that I'm saying I have anorexia or anything like that, but like most women, I too have struggled with body image issues and with over eating, etc. But mostly, the family issues that play into developing eating disorders. For example, doesn't it just make you cringe when you remember your mom saying something awful like, "oh honey, you'd be so pretty if you just...more

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Nov 08, 2010 Jackie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Friday my copy of this book came in the mail, Sunday evening I cracked the less than 200 page book open and was immediately sucked into the story! I would have finished in one sitting except it had been a long day so went to bed and was up at 5:20 am Monday morning finishing the last 40 or so pages...
IT HAS TO BE READ PEOPLE! This one is one of the most wonderful first books in a new series that I have had the pleasure to sit down with in probably a couple of years.. The honest approach taken b...more Friday my copy of this book came in the mail, Sunday evening I cracked the less than 200 page book open and was immediately sucked into the story! I would have finished in one sitting except it had been a long day so went to bed and was up at 5:20 am Monday morning finishing the last 40 or so pages...
IT HAS TO BE READ PEOPLE! This one is one of the most wonderful first books in a new series that I have had the pleasure to sit down with in probably a couple of years.. The honest approach taken by the author in this book makes it a welcome addition to my library and it will yours as well. I will warn you before hand though the book is quite graphic in it's descriptions of the bingeing and purging episodes, heart wrenchingly gritty and will move you to tears when we are taken on Famine's journey through the different hunger stricken parts of the world visited by Lisa and will even quite honestly gross you out in places.....
However despite all that because of the wonderfully told story of a 17 year old anorexic who somehow gets chosen, by Death no less, to become one of the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse you really need to pick up this book and read the journey of Lisabeth... One day she was on her way to checking out and the next day she was a powerful force! Someone who, through her compassion for the well being of others, comes to understand that her own well being was being neglected and causing her bodily harm....

It was not an easy book to write in the engaging manner that the author managed. The very serious subject matter in itself is handled very well within the story. There is no preaching to anyone just fact after fact and detail after detail that allow us to "share" Lisabeth's struggle without feeling like she is being judged in any way... I hope that the book reaches a wide audience, it seems to have done so already, if we as readers can keep the momentum going and share this unique look at something that affects so many people in our world than at some point maybe another Lisabeth will not have to go through the horror of becoming an anorexic or bulimic statistic!

April 2011 look for Rage the next book in the series....

This book was purchased by myself to read and I am not being compensated in any way for reading it other than the pleasure it gave me to do so!

(less)

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Mar 17, 2011 Kristen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am confused as to the overall arc of this series. And I am confused by Death telling our main character that she can die or be Famine and then when she doesn't want to be Famine anymore he just lets her out of it and she doesn't die. Maybe I missed something (although it would be hard to do that given how short the book was).

This book was not what I expected. It was a trip through the mind of someone with an eating disorder. Although it wasn't as horrible as I would have expected (especially...more I am confused as to the overall arc of this series. And I am confused by Death telling our main character that she can die or be Famine and then when she doesn't want to be Famine anymore he just lets her out of it and she doesn't die. Maybe I missed something (although it would be hard to do that given how short the book was).

This book was not what I expected. It was a trip through the mind of someone with an eating disorder. Although it wasn't as horrible as I would have expected (especially after seeing at the end that the author says she suffered from an eating disorder when she was younger) it to be - for a story trying to convey some of the horrors of an eating disorder.

Again, I am lost as to what the overall purpose of the series is. Some series have one story arc without smaller stories which are solved in each installment (think Alyson Noel's immortal series) and some have stories within the stories (think Harry Potter or Percy Jackson). Here, I have no idea what the overall story arc is. And, to boot, the individual story was confusing and inconsistent. I was taken back by Lisa's ability to reject the post as Famine and then simply go back to life as usual. Seems like we really didn't accomplish much.

The writing at times was excellent. The character of Death was really quite amusing. But this was overshadowed by the times where the writing was the opposite of excellent and the plot holes. We don't know what the Rider is supposed to do. Is the series supposed to be about bringing the Apocalypse? It would be a natural conclusion given the title of the series and the fact that, you know, we have the Four Horsemen here. But, I don't get the sense that this is the case. It appears that we are supposed to guess that there simply must always be a Rider. But I don't know. I would like to see where this story arc is going.

It's hard to say much about a book so short. Given my issues, I am a little bummed that I just spent $8 for a book that (i) was almost as short as this review, (ii) really doesn't seem to give me any clue as to where the series is headed, and (iii) really gives me only one character that I like and that character happens to be Death.

I am already half way through with Rage and am sad to say it seems to have the same trend. But, I will reserve final judgment until I am finished. (less)

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Jul 12, 2011 Alyssa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, 2011-read, gave-up-on, i-skimmed, highly-anticipated, not-even-okay, really-excited-for, short-story

"My job?" Lisa said as Death helped her to her feet. She was a seventeen-year-old high school junior in the suburbs; she didn't have a job.

"Thou art Famine, yo," Death said. "Time to make with the starvation." (pg49)

Realistic but unique? Funny but dark? Hunger sounds promising right?

It does – Kessler's book certainly has an exciting premise. The basic overlay of 2010’s popular debut is simply a twist that incorporates teenage eating disorders into the biblical myth of the Horsemen of the Apocal...more

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Sep 30, 2010 Cyndy Otty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Cyndy by: Richelle Mead

Shelves: young-adult

I feel I should have so much to say about Hunger because it is such a powerful read. Instead I'm left completely blown away and nearly speechless at this terribly short, yet incredibly intense novel. Kessler has managed to take eating disorders and weave a fiercely unrelenting story without being the tiniest bit preachy on the subject. She doesn't shirk away from the pure physicality or raw emotion and presents Lisa's suffering in a tangible and gripping way.

What initially piqued my interest in...more

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Jul 15, 2010 Eliora Vespera rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://scholarberry.blogspot.com/

"But the Thin voice saved her.
Hershey's Kisses, it whispered. Twenty-five calories each."

Jackie Morse Kessler's debut novel is spectacular.

Lisabeth Lewis, the main character of Hunger has a boyfriend. Maybe it's something about being a couple; all of a sudden you care more about other people's opinions on appearance.

Lisa loved food--she used to go with James (her current boyfriend) and Suzanne (her ex-best friend) into Joe's Diner and eat normally like everybody...more

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Jun 10, 2010 Inge rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

What a bad-ass premise. A teenage girl, Lisa, is dealing with depression and anorexia and is summoned to be one of the Four Horseman of the Apocolypse. Guess which one? Famine. Duh.
Through her adventures as Famine, she sees the gluttony as well as the starvation and poverty in the world, which gives her some perspective on the nature of humans, as well as her own fears and desires concerning food. Lisa finds her own strength and her ability to spread destruction as well as aid to others. She lea...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by LadyJay for TeensReadToo.com

Lisa can never escape the thin voice. It screeches and tears at her - telling her how fat she is; counting the calories in one chocolate chip cookie; calculating the number of minutes on the exercise bike.

No matter how thin she is, it's never enough. Lisa's anorexia spirals out of control; she swallows a handful of her mother's antidepressants. That's when Death comes for her.

He doesn't want her soul - not just yet. Instead, he bequeaths a gift. Lisa will...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Amalie Howard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought this was beautifully written and unique. Having suffered from anorexia and bulimia myself, this ingenious combination of contemp and fantasy really worked for me. I was fascinated and couldn't stop reading. The juxtaposition of Lisa and Famine worked SO well. I LOVED when Famine found her inner strength in her battle against War. And of course, nothing beats sexy little Death. Yeah, he kind of rocked. Great, different YA read! I can't wait to start Rage, the second book in the Horsemen...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Rachelle rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: y-a, b-o-b-books

This book was a little shy of ok. It was very short which doesn’t automatically make it bad, but there was little substance to it. I still have huge questions, but I don’t know if I would be willing to read more

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Apr 30, 2013 Rea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adult

This book has been on my radar ever since I first heard about this series some author was writing where troubled teens are chosen to take up the mantle of the four horsemen of apocalypse.

Now, whenever I think of the four horsemen, I think of a Red Dwarf episode (S6E3 - Gunmen of the Apocalypse, to be specific). Not quite the same as what's put forth here!

I like that Jackie Morse Kessler tackles real problems with this novel. The look into Lisa's thoughts as she struggles to deal with her attitud...more

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Apr 28, 2013 S.M. Reine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting, which I haven't done in a long time. For that reason alone, I have to give it four stars. (I love shorter books!) And the whole idea of becoming one of the Four Horsemen is pretty awesome.

Coolness:
1.) Girl struggling with an eating disorder becomes Famine. AWESOME.
2.) !MAGICAL HORSE THAT LIKES PRALINES!
3.) War is a badass woman with red armor!
4.) Some really vividly-described freaky scenes, like observing her friend with bulimia, or when Our...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library

You can read this review and more like it at Pretty Deadly Reviews.

I was honestly very disappointed in this book. At 175 or so pages, I feel the book would have been much better if it were longer. There were many issues left unresolved, and the ending felt cheap and easy--almost like a cop-out.

As a novel about eating disorders, Kessler hit the nail right on the head. I personally battle an eating disorder daily (though "recovered," every day is a war.) I felt Lisa's struggle with anorexia was ve...more

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Mar 12, 2013 P D rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First of all, I have to say that Kessler nailed the concept. As far as the story itself goes, I thought she did a spectacular job balancing what was realistic and wishful. Of course the book itself is a fantasy, but the ending isn't out there, which was nice because she's hitting heavy issues that are also very personal for her, and I would imagine that avoiding a perfect ending would be difficult when you want to undo the past.

A lot of people whine about how all teen fic is relationships and ho...more First of all, I have to say that Kessler nailed the concept. As far as the story itself goes, I thought she did a spectacular job balancing what was realistic and wishful. Of course the book itself is a fantasy, but the ending isn't out there, which was nice because she's hitting heavy issues that are also very personal for her, and I would imagine that avoiding a perfect ending would be difficult when you want to undo the past.

A lot of people whine about how all teen fic is relationships and hormones, and this book is a fantastic counter to that. The conflicts with her family and friends (and, yes, boyfriend) tie back into the larger story of anorexia and then worldwide famine (Famine?) neatly. It makes sense to have these issues in the book, regardless of any market considerations. If you avoid YA because you think it's cliché or whatever, you should read this book and reconsider.

The execution itself is what I found lacking in places. The book is third-person limited, and I think it was a lot stronger sticking to Lisa. Maybe it's because I don't like horses (seriously, not a fan), but those viewpoints as well as War's perspective I found stilted. The brief third-person omniscient worked, though, so the issue was likely getting into these very different mindsets. They didn't come off as essential to the story, especially given the relatively weak voice in those bits.

The beginning is rather expositiony. Part of this may come from my own experiences (I spent a whole summer researching anorexia and then running a pilot study on a mouse model for it)—I know the disease in detail, and there were times when it felt like Kessler had a checklist in front of her: missing periods, low body temperature, short-term memory loss, mild to moderate obsessive/compulsive behavior (all classic symptoms of anorexia; in particular, Lisa has restrictive anorexia nervosa, which is associated with a surfeit of exercise. Oddly, the one obvious symptom missing is the bulimic Tammy's bad breath). Some of these made perfect sense, but there were paragraphs that dropped the voice and seemed stuffed in to make it clear how awful anorexia is. Which, given the morbidity, isn't exactly a bad thing, but it does damage the quality of the book. (The descriptions of famine situations weren't quite brilliant, but came off as a lot more appropriate to the voice.)

I do hope that at some point Kessler is given the chance to revisit this book and revise the hell out of it for a rerelease, as she draws attention to a lot of serious issues. Not just individual issues that an unfortunately large number of teens go through, but also global issues. It's a good book now, but it has some rough patches that Kessler certainly has the talent to iron out.(less)

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Feb 26, 2013 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a previous reviewer said, five stars for intent/idea, three stars for how it was deployed.

The twist on the Riders of the Apocalypse had me intrigued, so I picked up the sample.

The writing was simple, but honest, and had good pacing, a strong voice, so I purchased the full book on my Nook. The characters were well fleshed out, the lore and ideas behind the Riders, and the interactions between them were fresh and I enjoyed them immensely.

The story itself was mixed for me. I understood the int...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Jeanette Diaz Michel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I got this book, I was slightly disappointed and underwhelmed simply because of its length. When I had seen a picture of this book online, I expected another 300+ page book, but it wasn’t even 200 pages. When I began reading, I couldn’t help but feel that I had missed something. I felt I was reading the book somewhere in the middle rather than the beginning, but that’s all due to the fact that it starts off rather quickly. I know beginnings are usually boring and can drag, but I thought it...more When I got this book, I was slightly disappointed and underwhelmed simply because of its length. When I had seen a picture of this book online, I expected another 300+ page book, but it wasn’t even 200 pages. When I began reading, I couldn’t help but feel that I had missed something. I felt I was reading the book somewhere in the middle rather than the beginning, but that’s all due to the fact that it starts off rather quickly. I know beginnings are usually boring and can drag, but I thought it started rather abruptly (which some might prefer and like against a slow beginning, mind you). The story then began to give me the foundations I wanted. It established characters and a place where the story can begin.
I liked Lisabeth Lewis as a character. Usually I don’t like female characters (whether they are protagonists or side characters) simply because they are usually weak, annoying, stupid or bitchy. She was relatable and human. Lisa’s emotions felt real—and some rather troubling considering her eating disorder. I enjoyed how Lisa and Famine were simultaneously different people but one and the same. Lisa and Famine were both the Black Rider. Famine wasn’t just Lisa’s power, but it was an essence all its own. I may not have liked most of Lisa’s thoughts and decisions regarding her anorexia and her denial of it; but I was still rooting for her. I believe she was a just Famine.
Death was witty and I liked him. I also really liked how the horses had personalities. The other characters had some presence and weight to them even when they weren’t around.
This book I think is mostly about inner strength and inner peace, maybe even some acceptance (I give props to books with these kinds of messages). The struggles are real, internally and externally. Sometimes you just have to admit that you need help and you can’t do it alone. The subject of eating disorders is never deterred from, and it’s wonderfully crafted and woven into a gruesome and grotesque fantasy of being a Horseman.
I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it. It’s short and takes place in the span of about four days (I know it all happens and it’s not even a week yet, don’t remember the exact number of days the story takes place from, sorry.). Despite being short, the quality definitely outweighs the quantity of the book. I look forward to reading more of the series.(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 April rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The incarnation of Famine as an anorexic? Yeah, I found it an interesting twist. This young adult novel caught my eye and reminded me of Piers Anthony's excellent series of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse (and I cannot say whether or not the whole "Mayan calendar" thing going on didn't play a small part in my choice of picking up this novel).

I might pick up the rest of the series as it becomes available at the library but I still think Anthony did it better. Kessler's book focused more on Li...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Karyl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, library-reads, young-adult-reads, favorites, fantasy-sci-fi

Of course, I loved this book. With shades of Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality series, a 17-year-old anorexic girl is tapped to become Famine, one of the Four Horsemen (Horsepeople?) of the Apocalypse. It is interesting to see how anorexia rules her entire life and fractures her personal relationships, and the reader wants to smack Lisa upside the head so often -- except it is clear that it isn't really *her* that is making these choices. She is compelled by the Thin voice in her head,...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Angel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lisabeth is not anorexic - despite eating very little, exercising quite a lot and obsessively weighing her big, fat body.

She knows the caloric value of every morsel she puts in her mouth and knows exactly how many minutes on the treadmill she needs to burn it all off. Her best friend dared to call her that and now she's an ex-best friend because Lisabeth IS NOT anorexic, thankyouverymuch!

Then Death comes knocking at her door. Not the poetic death to gently take her "some place better" but the a...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was so excited when this book came avail via Netgalley www.netgalley.com , it is one that has been on my list to read and it proved to be worth the wait - from the amazing cover to the inside story. I have always been one who likes to delve into the genre of Edgy Content with topics such as Drugs, Alcohol, Mental Illnesses and Eating Disorders. Hunger is Edgy Content mixed with the Supernatural or in this case the Apocalyptic . Hunger tells us the story of Lisa aka Lisabeth who suffers from a...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Michael Griffith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is honestly very intense. With that said, I am glad to say that there is light at the end of the tunnel for this novel. As Lisa grows as the Horseman Famine she also grows as a person and is able to make choices that she probably should have made earlier but were still good for her to make. I like the interactions between the horseman, and each one does have his or her own personality that goes with what they are in charge of. This book is very short, only 180 pages, but the author add...more

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About Jackie Kessler

Some kids want to grow up to be doctors, or movie stars, or political assassins. Me, I wanted to draw comic books. Not Archie comics, either—superhero comic books. Maybe it was all the heavily muscled guys in spandex…

Around the time I was 15, I realized that as much as I enjoyed drawing (note that I’m saying nothing about the quality of those pics), it was a lot of fun putting words in the charact...more

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“Living means constantly growing closer to death. Satisfaction only temporarily relieves hunger. Find the balance, and plant your feet.” — 19 people liked it

“IF YOU HAVE EVER LOOKED IN THE MIRROR
AND HATED WHAT YOUSAW,THIS BOOK
IS FOR YOU.” — 15 people liked it

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Hunger (Riders of the Apocalypse #1)

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