Review: Hunger

Hunger (Gone, book two)
By Michael Grant
Published 2009 by Katherine Tegen Books

Read my review of book one.

 It's been three months and life inside the FAYZ is only getting worse. Sam is not sure he wants to be in charge anymore but no one else is stepping up. With more kids developing powers every day and the food supply dwindling at an alarming rate, someone needs to be the boss. And the job will only be more difficult when The Darkness is discovered - calling kids, and changing them.

So, I was an extremely latecomer to this series and, as is the typical pattern of my life, even later to finish it. This book, book two, was first published in 2009; I didn't read book one until 2012 and it took my until 2015 to pick up book two. But! I have book three currently checked out from the library, with every intention of finishing the series before the year is over (we'll see how I do).

Since it had been such a long time between books, it took me a few chapters to get back into the story. Luckily, Grant is pretty good at keeping readers guessing and engaged with the story - so many new developments happen in this book that, even if I hadn't waited so long between books, I still would have been in for surprises around every corner.

As the title makes glaringly obvious, the main focus of this book is the extremely limited food supply that the characters find themselves with. The crazy powers that they (and apparently other creatures) have developed make procuring more food a bit of a challenge. Grant doesn't shy away from exploring the extreme lengths starving people will go to in their attempts to remedy their desperate situation. Much like the first book (and, I imagine, the rest of the series) this is not for the faint of heart. There are some nasty characters doing terrible and twisted things in this book and I appreciate that Grant is not afraid of going to that dark place.

On a similar note, I liked the introduction of new characters as well as learning more about previously minor characters. I worry a bit that it will get to be too overwhelming in future volumes, though I think I can say with confidence that some of these characters are not going to last the whole series. There are still characters who I'd like to know even more about, so I'm interested to see if I get my wish.

Though I enjoyed the book (and am hugely impressed by how Grant can make 500 pages fly by), it didn't grip me quite as much as the first. Like I said, I have book three out from the library, so I'm still wanting to know what will happen next. If you have any readers who haven't read this series yet, I think I'm safe to recommend it - for fans of action, dystopia, and conflict.