Book Review: “This Vicious Hunger” by Francesca May (ARC)
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Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ - 2.5 out of 5 stars
Format: ARC via NetGalley & Orbit Books and Redhook
AD - PR Copy | Thank you to NetGalley & Orbit Books and Redhook for a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
There's an unquenched thirst in the sapphic community for prickly romances that combine all of our (collective) favorite things. So, if you have a hunger for sapphic longing, gothic horror, and cottage core wrapped up in a cozy dark academia blanket, then take a bite out of "This Vicious Hunger” by Francesca May*. Find out more about the upcoming novel (expected on or around August 26, 2025) in my book review, below.
[Review also available on GoodReads.]
What to Know About "This Vicious Hunger" by Francesca May
The Quick & Dirty Reading Details
Gothic Horror
Dark Academia
Sapphic Romance
Botany
Dark Cottage Core
Fantasy World
Sapphic Longing
Flawed Protagonist
Slow Burn (plot)
Late Bloomer
Secret Relationship
Ethical Dilemmas in Research
Classic Retelling
POTENTIAL TRIGGERS: Misogyny, Gore, Self-Harm, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Animal Abuse, Homicide, Disordered Eating, Toxic Relationship, Domestic Violence
The Plot of Francesca May's “This Vicious Hunger”
Mirroring Nathaniel Hawthorne's storyline in "Rappaccini’s Daughter", Francesca May's sophomore novel follows the journey of a recent widow, Thora, who has been offered an unexpected – and much-appreciated – opportunity to study botany at a university. However, her hunger for education and freedom is quickly overshadowed by an obsession with an enigmatic woman, who tends to an off-limits garden on campus. Naturally, Thora sets out to unravel the mystery of the caretaker, and sapphic longing – and lusting – ensues.
“This Vicious Hunger" Book Review
[Again, thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books/Redhook Publishing for a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.]
My Thoughts
The blurb for “This Vicious Hunger” sets high expectations, especially for a reading community that's desperate to find representation in a genre where sapphic characters are still few and far between. Unfortunately, this longing may set up the novel for failure. While it promises queer dark academia greatness, it falls short on plot and depth of theme, leaving the reader (me, in this case) famished.
Incredible Imagery Brings Dark Academia to Life
Regardless of its downfalls, "This Vicious Hunger” showcases incredible writing from beginning to end. The language instantly brings the dark academia vibe to life in a Victorian-esque manner. From page one, I can visualize the characters, the atmosphere, and the settings, which is a huge feat on its own. Some of the more grotesque scenes later in the novel even made me want to look away from the page; they were so beautifully descriptive.
The Trap of the Toxic Sapphic Trope
The sapphic novel also does an incredible job exploring popular tropes, like romantic longing. There’s a lot of attention, in particular, around the thin line between obsession and toxicity, which can be polarizing with queer readers. Listen, we're collectively tired of only seeing problematic couples in the minimal entertainment we receive.
HOWEVER, I would argue that in the case of Thora, the elements of immaturity that repeatedly show up in the story provide a level of authenticity as opposed to lazy character development, especially when you consider that she's a late bloomer who is exploring her sexuality for the first time. In reality, when a person has been held back by culture or family and unable to explore their sexuality at the same time as their heterosexual peers, it can halt areas of psychological and emotional development. (Not everyone! It's a sweeping generalization, but please, stick with me here.)
Naturally, this scenario can create a steep learning curve, resulting in significant challenges with emotion regulation, healthy communication, and overcoming toxic behaviors. I think "This Vicious Hunger” does an excellent job at not only displaying such flaws, but shows them to the reader in all of their ugliness, no sugar coating. Thora has done enough apologizing and fitting the molds deemed acceptable; it's her turn to exist in her most honest form, whether it's digestible to the masses or not. I, actually, am obsessed with that concept. But admittedly, I love a flawed character, an antihero, a bad bish with an attitude problem…
“Rappaccini's Daughter” But Make It Sapphic
While I haven't seen any mention of it in the official marketing materials, every American Lit student can quickly pick out the parallel story elements between “This Vicious Hunger” and Hawthorne's "Rappaccini's Daughter". [👈 Columbia University offers the full short story for free on their website.]
In the latter, the protagonist, Giovanni, becomes obsessed with Beatrice, the daughter of a medical scientist, who is responsible for tending his garden of poisonous plants. Obsession? Botany? Daddy issues? Could it be any more sapphic coded? It's practically begging to be remade in our image.
While the original is a short story and this rendition is a novel, I would argue that May has a much stronger story concept than Hawthorne, with richer characters and more vivid imagery. However, the potential and the final execution don't quite line up.
Slow Burn Dwindles to a Spark
The pace of the plot is where “This Vicious Hunger” lost me. The novel is 400+ pages, but it could've easily been wrapped up in 200, so maybe a short story or novella is a better-suited format. Much of the first ¾ of the novel is spent on repetition of similar scenes and experiences between Thora and Olea and Thora and Leo. While you could argue that the pace mimics the hunger and yearning of the main protagonist for education, respect from her peers, and sapphic romance, simultaneously, it stretches on until the initial fire is almost entirely burnt out.
The slow pace and length of the story took me weeks to get through, resulting in a mid-summer reading slump and nearly a new addition to my DNF list.
Left Hungry
Fortunately, I pushed on and was able to get to the juiciest bit of the book where the yearning was replaced with feral (slightly toxic) sapphic romance. But when it felt like it was going to finally come to a head with the villain, the ending was abrupt. Instead of being open-ended for a sequel, the story felt more like it was suddenly cut off.
The same can be said for the world itself. Early on in the novel, we're given bits about the world in which the novel is set – enough to know it isn't ours, but the knowledge building of it halts and abandons the reader to the unknown. Maybe it doesn't really matter in the scheme of things; we know it's a patriarchal, misogynist society that doesn't educate anyone labeled a woman, and that might be enough when understanding our main characters who are all on the outside, desperate for knowledge. But, to me, it ends up feeling like something is missing.
It quenched my thirst for sapphic dark academia but didn't satisfy my appetite. Much like Thora, I'm left ravenous.
A Match for the Right Reader
While "This Vicious Hunger” didn't live up to my expectations, I do think it offers enough good qualities to earn a higher rating when matched with the right reader. It may be better suited for dark academia romance readers, especially those interested in late-bloomer and slow-burner stories.
Would I Recommend: Depends on the reader
Would I Re-Read: No, but I would read a sequel — think there's potential here!
Have you read it yet? I'd LOVE to know your thoughts! Drop me a line on Instagram, and lmk if you agree with my review or not. If it's the latter, I promise I won't take it personal! [That's a lie, I totally will. ;) ]
Buy “This Vicious Hunger" by Emily M. Danforth
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Thanks for sticking around to the end of my book review! If you're interested in reading this sapphic novel for yourself, you can grab a copy via my affiliate link on Bookshop.org*. It's currently available for preorder, but the link should still work after it's published later this month. [Hello from the past!]
Bookshop.org: Buy “This Vicious Hunger” on Bookshop.org* to support independent bookstores.
Reading Aesthetic: “This Vicious Hunger”
Want even more “This Vicious Hunger”? As a zine and collage fanatic, I can’t help but create an artistic visual element for each of my book reviews. See the full post >> Reading Moodboard “This Vicious Hunger”.
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