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The Burning Hunger
204 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 24, 2026
The premise of this was so interesting as I have a fascination with folklore and am already quite knowledgeable on the Wendigo. However, this book was not for me and I have a few gripes with it.
Firstly there is no sense of place. Throughout the entire book I had no idea where we were as the Wendigo is a creature from North American folklore yet one of the towns we visit is named Oxbury, a distinctly English name, and two peasants the main character meets speak with discernible English accents (“Looky ‘ere! ‘e’s alive!” “I’s done told you”).
The text itself had many issues as well. Each dialogue tag is on the next paragraph after the actual dialogue, causing you to constantly need to go to the next paragraph to see who is speaking to then return to the dialogue which became frustrating after a while. Along with that, I found there were some very strange word choices and oddly structured sentences that pulled me from the narrative (“let me illustrate my situation” “the darkness’s consumption is unbiased” “there is no perception whatsoever”). None of the characters speak like real people and while I understand it is to add to the atmosphere it does become tiring.
The entire synopsis is completed in the first two chapters leaving us to wander around with the main character for the rest of the book. We spend three chapters in a cabin in the woods with a man who I think was meant to be a vampire. Our main character also must be a mind reader because after exactly two conversations with the man, we immediately know it is unnatural for him to stutter. And when our main character goes to a library to research the creature, he immediately finds the exact book with exactly the right information he needs that the librarian was not able to find.
I hated the main character, and perhaps that was intended, but it only served to make the story unenjoyable. By the end, I was wishing he had died instead of the Wendigo. He leads poor Noelle on, burns Silas’s house down and then blows the head off his horse.
I must give credit where credit is due however. There was one particular paragraph towards the end that did make me emotional. It is a scene where our main character is cremating the remains of the Wendigo and a particular line struck me — “The shadows struggle to take hold of him, as the flames grow too bright.” It is a beautiful line and filled with such immense hope even in the face of hardship.
Overall, The Burning Hunger was not for me, but if you enjoy a medieval setting, creatures from folklore and a unique second-person narrative structure then consider giving this a go.
Firstly there is no sense of place. Throughout the entire book I had no idea where we were as the Wendigo is a creature from North American folklore yet one of the towns we visit is named Oxbury, a distinctly English name, and two peasants the main character meets speak with discernible English accents (“Looky ‘ere! ‘e’s alive!” “I’s done told you”).
The text itself had many issues as well. Each dialogue tag is on the next paragraph after the actual dialogue, causing you to constantly need to go to the next paragraph to see who is speaking to then return to the dialogue which became frustrating after a while. Along with that, I found there were some very strange word choices and oddly structured sentences that pulled me from the narrative (“let me illustrate my situation” “the darkness’s consumption is unbiased” “there is no perception whatsoever”). None of the characters speak like real people and while I understand it is to add to the atmosphere it does become tiring.
The entire synopsis is completed in the first two chapters leaving us to wander around with the main character for the rest of the book. We spend three chapters in a cabin in the woods with a man who I think was meant to be a vampire. Our main character also must be a mind reader because after exactly two conversations with the man, we immediately know it is unnatural for him to stutter. And when our main character goes to a library to research the creature, he immediately finds the exact book with exactly the right information he needs that the librarian was not able to find.
I hated the main character, and perhaps that was intended, but it only served to make the story unenjoyable. By the end, I was wishing he had died instead of the Wendigo. He leads poor Noelle on, burns Silas’s house down and then blows the head off his horse.
I must give credit where credit is due however. There was one particular paragraph towards the end that did make me emotional. It is a scene where our main character is cremating the remains of the Wendigo and a particular line struck me — “The shadows struggle to take hold of him, as the flames grow too bright.” It is a beautiful line and filled with such immense hope even in the face of hardship.
Overall, The Burning Hunger was not for me, but if you enjoy a medieval setting, creatures from folklore and a unique second-person narrative structure then consider giving this a go.
February 19, 2026
The Burning Hunger is a haunting and emotionally rich exploration of grief, identity, and the fragile boundary between man and monster. Though written in the second person, a perspective that can often feel distancing, the novel quickly overcomes this through its striking prose and immersive atmosphere. The language is evocative and lyrical, recalling the brooding melancholy of Edgar Allan Poe, the cosmic dread of H. P. Lovecraft, and the raw poetic sensitivity of Dylan Thomas.
At its core, the story is less about the hunt for the Wiindigo and more about the psychological and emotional decay of its protagonist. His grief, guilt, and longing are rendered with painful clarity, making his journey feel deeply human even as he confronts something inhuman. The evolving relationship between hunter and hunted is beautifully tragic, lending unexpected sympathy and complexity to both.
This is a story that lingers, quietly unsettling, emotionally resonant, and profoundly reflective long after its final page.
At its core, the story is less about the hunt for the Wiindigo and more about the psychological and emotional decay of its protagonist. His grief, guilt, and longing are rendered with painful clarity, making his journey feel deeply human even as he confronts something inhuman. The evolving relationship between hunter and hunted is beautifully tragic, lending unexpected sympathy and complexity to both.
This is a story that lingers, quietly unsettling, emotionally resonant, and profoundly reflective long after its final page.
February 23, 2026
I enjoyed this book a lot! There were many moments I found it to be a very interesting and engaging read.
The characters and their dynamics were unique and
The story is very alike to classical literature and has gothic elements.
I would recommend this especially to beginners who want to get into literary fiction, as the writer’s prose is very easy to read.
I was skeptical when I read the original description and heard it was written in second person, I had never seen a book written in such a way. But I must say that if you too are skeptical: it works. The story is told in a way that second person relates to the themes and characters and allows for the main character to have a more complex and enigmatic feel while essentially being replaced by the reader themself.
This is incredibly impressive for the author’s debut work and I’m very excited to see in which direction they will go in the future.
The characters and their dynamics were unique and
The story is very alike to classical literature and has gothic elements.
I would recommend this especially to beginners who want to get into literary fiction, as the writer’s prose is very easy to read.
I was skeptical when I read the original description and heard it was written in second person, I had never seen a book written in such a way. But I must say that if you too are skeptical: it works. The story is told in a way that second person relates to the themes and characters and allows for the main character to have a more complex and enigmatic feel while essentially being replaced by the reader themself.
This is incredibly impressive for the author’s debut work and I’m very excited to see in which direction they will go in the future.
February 21, 2026
„the world changes. monsters come and go, hiding between trees and bushes, outside of towns and houses - or in plain sight - look close enough and you might just spot one“
this book did not fail to make me shiver multiple times. the symbolism owned me & this counts as an official petition to have justice for silas.
this book did not fail to make me shiver multiple times. the symbolism owned me & this counts as an official petition to have justice for silas.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews