“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

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 her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

Hunger is the phenomenal first book in Jackie Morse Kessler’s ‘The Horsemen of the Apolcalypse’ series. The story follows Lisabeth as she is chosen to be the next Famine and in which she deals with world hunger and her own eating disorder. A heartfelt, emotional journey with twists and turns that will have readers turning page after page. 

Characters: Lisabeth our heroine of the story, she is a teenage girl who suffers from anorexia. Her insecurities and issues are scrawled across the pages of Hunger in such a fashion that you cannot help but feel sorry for her. Lisa has an alter-ego known as ‘The Thin Voice’. This is the force behind Lisabeth’s anorexia. It is so evil and horrific to hear that you actually get angry with it when reading the pages and you simply want to scream at the book for the voice to leave Lisabeth alone. Lisa becomes ‘Famine’, one of the horseman of the Apocalypse along with Rage, Disease and Death. Although one of the worst things about life, Death, was my favourite character. His humor and charm had me laughing till it hurt and his unknown sexiness will draw readers into his grasp.

Originality: Without a doubt one of the most original novels I have ever set eyes upon. I cannot give Kessler enough credit for originality. Seriously, who else has tied a serious issue of today’s society (anorexia) and twisted it into a tale about the Horseman of the Apocalypse, Famine in particular? The way it is done is so unique and tragic and yet will inspire so much hope in people dealing with this illness. This story whist providing huge quantities of entertainment also educates its readers in a variety of issues. I never expected to see so many issues being dealt with at once and because our author has seen what a similar illness can do, readers get to hear it through an honest voice and are given a true understanding of what Lisabeth is dealing with.

Plot: Hunger is very fast paced and thrilling. The story itself was such an eyeopener especially when you read the things ‘The Thin Voice’ tells Lisabeth to do and how not to eat. In some respects, it was rather disturbing and in another it was captivating to think this actually happens to people which is so horrific. The whole twist that Kessler has took on about the Horseman is very intriguing and brilliant! The story is full of emotion from page one and is incorporated into the plot throughout. Without giving too much away… Lisabeth is a fantastic Horseman and the twists that she brings to the tale is excellent. I recommend you head out now and buy your copy!

Writing: I was simply blown away by the writing of Jackie Morse Kessler. The way that she portrays complex issues that many teenagers deal with can only be applauded. The writing in the book was very haunting in some parts and yet full of humor in others. Hunger is full of honest portrayals of eating disorders but at the same time is not too graphic in the sense it is inappropriate. If anything, it helps you understand the situation that Lisabeth faced and the situation many young girls and boys face today. The way Kessler manages to forge an alliance with Famine and anorexia is outstanding, a twist that could only be done by such an extraordinary author.  

Kelly’s Rating:  This novel is most definitely a dark horse in the YA genre. With the second part, Rage, will be out in April 2011 and I can hardly contain myself with excitement. The other incredible thing about Jackie Morse Kessler is that not only does she tell such a riveting story, she also sends a percentage of the proceeds of this book to the National Eating Disorder Association which is so generous and cool of her. She truly is helping a lot of people deal with this issue and I can only thank her for this. So if you buy any book in 2010/2011 I strongly suggest it be Hunger.