There is a feeling of dread throughout this book. I also liked that the trail and the landscape itself felt like characters. There are a lot of characters in this book, but I had no issues keeping track of them. Making the book even more suspenseful is the belief that one among them is a witch, there are secret relationships, deaths and of course, the hardships of the trail itself. Are they being followed? Is something sinister out there in the dark? Could animals be stalking them? What dangers lies in the dark? What danger lies in the heart of men.

The Author uses some supernatural elements to bring on the creep and bring a little horror to the story. We all know about the wagon train knows as the Donner party and how they faced tragedy when faced with horrific snow, hunger/starvation, failing mental and physical health. It sucks you in and there is not going back! If this book starts slowly for you – keep with it. She gave personalities and back stories to the characters and often I wondered about the survivor’s family members would approve. The Author mixed history with fiction effortlessly. This is a re-telling of the Donner party with a supernatural element involved.

This book drew me in and showed it has legs and can stand on its own merit. But I kept reading and let me tell you this book has some teeth. Plus, would I hold it up to the high standard of 'The Indifferent Stars Above'? But I was also apprehensive as I often find I am not on the bandwagon with hyped books. I had read some positive reviews of this book and even Stephen King endorsed it, so I was very excited to start it. Seriously, I picked this book up after I had read 'The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing saga of the Donner party' (It's wonderful and I highly recommend it.) I was worried that I would not like this book as much. Is it okay to say that I devoured this book? 'Maybe it takes one demon to keep the others away.' He paused. As members of the party begin to disappear, they must ask themselves 'What if there is something waiting in the mountains? Something disturbing and diseased.and very hungry?' While the ill-fated group struggles to survive in the treacherous mountain conditions-searing heat that turns the sand into bubbling stew snows that freeze the oxen where they stand-evil begins to grow around them, and within them.

Whether it was a curse from the beautiful Tamsen, the choice to follow a disastrous experimental route West, or just plain bad luck-the 90 men, women, and children of the Donner Party are at the brink of one of the deadliest and most disastrous western adventures in American history. They cannot escape the feeling that someone-or something-is stalking them. Depleted rations, bitter quarrels, and the mysterious death of a little boy have driven the pioneers to the brink of madness. That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party.

Alma katsu the hunger