Review: Only Laura Thalassa would have the power to make me cry over a horseman of the apocalypse. 

 

“Famine” follows Ana da Silva, a former prostitute whose life was once spared by Famine when he first walked the Earth. The second time she encounters him, however, she’s stabbed and left for dead. Finding the strength to survive his brutality and seek revenge, Ana corners him only to be held captive by the horseman. In spite of themselves and everyone they stand for, they are drawn to each other. 

 

In all honesty, I had a very love-hate relationship with Famine as a character. Of all the horsemen, Famine is the least human, having more in common with nature itself. The pain he inflicts on those who he comes across is gruesome and tough to read. As a result, it was harder for me to view his character as redeemable by the novel’s end. 

 

At the same time, I felt deeply for him after learning about his own the horror surrounding how badly he was treated by humanity when he awoke. I shed many tears over his suffering, which just goes to show how powerful Thalassa’s writing is to make me war with myself even as I type this review. 

 

In my review of “War,” I mentioned how the book’s plot structure is very similar to its predecessor. The same can be said of “Famine.” Having read each book in the series thus far back to back, elements of “Famine” became a bit too repetitive and easy to anticipate. Still, Ana and Famine’s reluctant, enemies to lovers relationship made my heart sing. The bond they formed over their shared experiences and the kindness they show one another is unmatched.