If ever an author nailed the whole plot of a book in the first sentence, this is it: 'it was during the time I wandered about and starved'. Yes, this isn't the most exciting premise for a book, but the storytelling is incredible, and I can see why it's regarded as a must-read classic European novel. Hamsen is said to have inspired a whole collection of modern authors, including Kafka and James Joyce. Having read books by the three authors now, the influence is clear both in the style and writing of the novels.
Hunger follows the story of a writer living in extreme poverty. We follow him in his wanderings around the city as he becomes more and more starved, and increasingly unhinged. There are times of hope, when food or a potential job is found, but each instance of this is ruined either by circumstance or the writer's own self-destructive ways.
I won't lie, I didn't expect to be too enamoured with this. It looked dry, and sometimes I really struggle to get into classic European novels. However, the writing in this was so emotive and well done that I couldn't not enjoy it. As the book progressed and the protagonist grew more confused, it came across the page, and you almost felt your mind wandering with his.
The story was one that I do feel is so important, about the ravaging impact of poverty on both your mind and body. It explores the extreme state one gets into when one cannot afford to eat, as well as the vicious cycle of poverty (not having enough resources to secure opportunities around in a loop).
I would definitely recommend this to anyone studying modern literature, as a pre-cursor to this epoch, as well as those studying the European novel. It's also a fab read for anyone interested in a reading a pretty short classic that will grab you in.
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