Book: The Hunger Trace by Edward Hogan

This might well be the hardest book I have ever discussed. It's not so much the premise that's complicated. Set against the backdrop of a Derbyshire wildlife park, it follows the dead owner's widow, Maggie, his (probably special needs but it never really elaborates) teenage son, Christopher, and the dead owner's childhood friend, falconer and local recluse Louisa. See, nothing too abstract. It's my feelings about the book that are difficult to explain.

You see, what I've said above, about the plot, that's pretty much it. I spent the whole novel waiting for something to happen. Some novels have characters so interesting or witty or outrageous that you'd happily read about them sitting there eating their breakfast. These are not those characters. Which isn't to say they aren't well-crafted (if not entirely likeable at times), it's just that they seem to spend the story milling around waiting for something to happen to them that gives any of the story purpose. The book's blurb mentions a 'dark secret' that David (the dead park owner) and Louisa have shared since they were young, but that is revealed quickly and is surprisingly uninteresting. It also mentions 'the arrival of a stranger', which is true, except that's it. He arrives and meets the characters and gets to know them. When he appears, parts of his past are alluded to and you'd be forgiven for thinking that maybe these were going to be the source of some mystery, intrigue, anything, but alas no. True, events happen throughout but there is no real focus to the story. There's not enough plot for it to be plot-driven and not enough about the characters for it to be character-driven. It just starts, goes on, and drifts off, leaving you much the same as you were before you read it, and with very little of its spirit lingering. There are incidents that the author seems to just skim over, giving it the feel of a rather verbose outline for a novel rather than the finished product.

That said, it isn't in any way unpleasant to read. I enjoyed reading it. Hogan is evidently a very talented writer, and some paragraphs were a pleasure to go over more than once. I could happily have continued to read it for twice as many pages, willing it to kick in, to have events and story worthy of the engaging prose. It is not something you will ever regret reading, not even one you may consider a waste of time, you will just probably finish it longing to be able to say more good things about it. It is likeable, pleasant, but I'm pretty sure this is not what they meant when inventing the phrase 'Always leave them wanting more'.

This is in no way a bad book, and Edward Hogan is obviously a good writer. It's that one thing worse than a rubbish read, and that's one that fails to live up to its promise, leaving you frustrated, a little sad, pity for the novel it could have been, and generally confused about why you just enjoyed reading something that didn't hit the spot.

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Police Car - Eliza Doolittle
Coupables (Final) - Cast Of Romeo & Juliette
What Have You Done For Me Lately? - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
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The Real Slim Shady (Instrumental Version) - Eminem
Your Song - Ewan McGregor & Alessandro Safina
Local God - Everclear
Forest - Bran Van 3000
Again - Karima Francis
#1 Crush - Garbage
Main Offender - The Hives
For You - Tobyslater
If You Lean On Me - California Dreams
Not The Doctor - Alanis Morissette
Red Right Hand - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Are You Ready For Some More (Erick 'More' Morillo Mix) - Reel 2 Real
Score From Augusta - Beulah
Bad Day - R.S.L.
On The Lash - The Icarus Line
Little Rhymes - Mercury Rev
Ralome - Plaid
Nun - I Am Arrows
Walking On Sunshine - Rockers Revenge feat Donnie Calvin
The Rain - Oran "Juice" Jones
Found Out About You - Gin Blossoms
First Day Of My Life - Bright Eyes
Fighting Fit - Gene
Return Of The Mack - Mark Morrison
I Just Wanna Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
Margo's Waltz - Lloyd Cole
Misery - Absence Of Faith
The Dead Flag Blues (Edit) - Godspeed You Black Emperor!
Jocko Homo - Devo
Awful (LP Version) - Hole
Day 'N' Nite (Radio Edit) - Kid Cudi Vs Crookers
I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You - Black Kids
What's It Gonna Be - H "Two" O feat Platnum
Thumbelina Farewell - Ron Sexsmith
Flesh For Fantasy - Billy Idol
TCV 15 - David Bowie
Monkey Gone To Heaven - Pixies
Let's Get Excited (Redzone Radio Mix) - Alesha Dixon
Ambition - Subway Sect
Overture - Bjork
Junk Shop Discotheque - Helen Love
Blues Explosion Man (Live) - The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Get Sexy - Sugababes
Softer, Softest (MTV Unplugged) - Hole
Summer Of '69 - Bryan Adams
Summer Of Love - Lonyo > Comme Ci Comme Ca
Giant Song - Funeral Party
Hermit The Frog - Marina & The Diamonds
Surf Rider - The Lively Ones
Lies - The Black Belles
Misirlou - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones
Alertez Managua - Indochine
Empire State Of Mind, Pt. 2 (Broken Down) - Alicia Keys
With Every Heartbeat (Live Lounge) - Girls Aloud
Universe Of Love (Pairing Dance Mix) - bandaloop.
Poison - Rancid
Song 2 - Blur
(You're Welcome) - Ex-Rental
Do You Know (Linslee Remix) - Michelle Gayle
Brad Logan - Rancid
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Britney Spears
Lizard - Mauro Picotto
Luv Da Sunshine - Intenso Project
Where Are You Baby? - Betty Boo
Son Of Sam - Elliott Smith
Infantile - My Vitriol
Welcome To The World - 50 Hz
Alone - Heart
Do You Love Me - The Contours
Cities In Dust - Siouxsie & The Banshees
Why Go? - Faithless
Atlantic City - The Hold Steady
Sunday 8PM (A Time For Lovin' Mix) - Faithless
Wot - Captain Sensible
I'm In Love With A Girl On A Certain Megastore Check-Out Desk - The Freshies
Aceface - Astariel
...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place - Space
Comateen I - Indochine
Daniel - Bat For Lashes
Brokenhearted - Brandy
Tell Me What You Are Before I Tell You What You Are - Stumble
Loneliness Of Six - Christophe Beck
Who Do You Think You Are - Spice Girls
Taken Away (Instrumental) - Digitalism
Geno - Dexy's Midnight Runners
My Insanity - Grace Overthrown
Everybody - Hear'Say
Soul Surfing - Fatboy Slim
Better Be Women - Dwarves
Miss You - Aaliyah
Valerie - Steve Winwood
Matador - Eve To Adam
The Monorail Song - The Simpsons
Firefly - Grand Drive
Where Happiness Lives - Magnet
Battlefield - Jordin Sparks
Happy Dog - Blondie
Good Morning Good Days - Crookram
Sunburn (Live) - Muse
Dark Clouds - Space
Teardrops (Wildcat Dub) - Lovestation
Good Thing - Eternal
High On Sunday 51 - Aimee Mann
Teurastamo - Pan Sonic
Big Bum - Chris Moyles
Turn My Way - New Order
Lexington (Joey Pea-Pot With A Monkey Face) - Chiodos
Femme Liberee - Cookie Dingler
Dear Diary - Britney Spears
Common People - Pulp
Pappa Can You Hear Me? (Live Lounge) - N-Dubz
Never Be Your Woman (Herve Re-Work) - Wiley feat Emeli Sande
A Ma Place (Radio Edit) - Axel Bauer/Zazie
Sometimes She - Darda 3000
You Better Be Ready - Little Dooley
Jesus Christ - Gay Dad
Nothing Really Matters (Machine Mix) - Dirty Harry
Let's Make A Night To Remember - Bryan Adams
Going Out - Supergrass
Mr Jones - Counting Crows
This Old Hearts Of Mine (Is Weak For You) - The Isley Brothers
Uncertain Someone - Ex-Rental
Hips Don't Lie (Live Lounge) - The Fray
Ad Nauseum - Ex-Rental
Push The Button - Sugababes
"Eye On Springfield" Theme - The Simpsons
The Masses Against The Classes - Manic Street Preachers
Lucky - Jason Mraz feat Colbie Caillat
The Prayer - Bloc Party
War Child - Blondie
Bingo Bango (Choo Choo's Apple Jaxx Mix) - Basement Jaxx
Planets (Version II) - Hot Zex
Zombie Nation (DJ Gius Remix) - Kernkraft 400
Slowhand - Pointer Sisters

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You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi
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I Miss You - Haddaway
Dreamer - Livin' Joy
Apollo 9 - Adam Ant
At Home He's A Tourist - Gang Of Four
Your Song - The Streets
My Babe (Live) - Elvis Presley
Coochie Dance - 20 Fingers feat Gillette
Let It Whip - The Dazz Band
Fools Like Me - Lisa Loeb
Slowhand - Pointer Sisters
State Of Flux - Themroc
Mouth - Rochelle
Girl Serial Killer (Le Tigre Mix) (Short Edit) - Hanin Elias
Spice Up Your Life - Spice Girls
Pretender Got My Heart - Alisha's Attic
Cafe Del Mar 98 (Original Three'N One Mix) - Energy 52
Prizefighter - Bush
The Boy Is Mine (Club Version) - Brandy & Monica
You Move Me So - Paula Grimes
Search And Destroy - Red Hot Chili Peppers
A Little Bit Of Luck - DJ Luck & MC Neat
Castles On Quicksand - California Dreams
House Of God 2000 (DHS Remix) - DHS
Coney Island - Good Old War
Daydream In Blue - I Monster
Lopez - 808 State feat James Dean Bradfield
Our Time (Live At Trash) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Francisco Cat - Friends From Rio 1 feat Celia Vaz
Klaus - Belding
Elvis Ain't Dead - Scouting For Girls
We Are The Boys - Pulp
Down - Blink-182
Dubby Disco - Antonelli Electr.
The Wall Of Sound Five-Knuckle Shuffle - Plus One
City Of Lights - Alec Empire
Up Again - Brown
Candy (Radio Edit) - Paolo Nutini
Live At P.J.'s - Beastie Boys
Louie Louie/Hang On Sloopy - Iggy Pop
Hindi Sad Diamonds - Nicole Kidman, John Leguizamo & Alka Yagnik
Greatest Day (Radio Mix) - Take That
Don't Want To Forgive Me Now - Wet Wet Wet
Irish Blood, English Heart - Morrissey
Love Like Blood - Killing Joke
The Day (We Fell In Love) - Appaloosa
Adagio For Strings - Barber
Tribute - Tenacious D
The Time Has Come - PP Arnold
Release Me (UK Radio Edit) - Agnes
Eddie - Rocky Horror Picture Show Original Film Soundtrack
Laredo - Snakefarm
Trash - Suede
More Than This - Roxy Music
Triumph Of A Heart - Bjork
Destiny (Acoustic Mix) - Zero 7
Showin' Out - Cinnamon
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going - Glee Cast
Stutter - Elastica
Wake Up Boo! (Radio Edit) - The Boo Radleys
Return Of Django - Asian Dub Foundation
Flying - John Williams
Dancing In The Street - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
There's Nothing I Won't Do - JX
M+M's - Blink-182
Twenty Four Hours - Athlete
The Beat - Dan Le Sac & Scroobius Pip
Charmless Man - Blur
Perfect Day - Lou Reed
Coco Jamboo - Mr President
Think It's A Game - Beanie Sigel
One Wild Night - Bon Jovi
So Fly - M
Tried To Get Rid Of Me - Ethan Ash
Wish I Stayed (Demo) - Ellie Goulding
Intro - Alan Braxe & Fred Faulke
Independent Love Song - Scarlet
Working For The Weekend - Loverboy
1:36 - Coldplay
Gypsy Woman - Crystal Waters
Kittens - Underworld
Fireworks & Flowers - The View
Hole In My Heart (Radio Edit) - Alphabeat
Power Of Love/Love Power - Luther Vandross
The Time Warp - The Laker Band
Some Fantastic - Barenaked Ladies
I Kissed A Girl (Live Lounge) - McFly
Beds Are Burning (Tck Tck Tck) - Various Artists
Fly - Sugar Ray feat Super Cat
Aya - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Reach - S Club 7
Every Day I Love You More - Boyzone
Scandalous - Mis-Teeq
Teenage Mum - Younger Younger 28's
A Fair Affair (Je t'aime) - Misty Oldland
Beatbox 130 - Fraction
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Caught By The Fuzz - Supergrass
On Your Own (Crouch End Broadway Mix) - Blur
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Hoppipolla - Sigur Ros
Nobody's Daughter (Album) - Hole
Quicksand - La Roux
Alone - Heart
Atonement (Radio Edit) - The Sound Coalition
The Stripper - The High Society
The Spell - Alphabeat
Hollywood - Marina & The Diamonds

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I Want It All - bis
Common People - Pulp
Familiar Feeling (Plankton's Country Slice Remix) - Moloko
Rapper's Delight - Sugarhill Gang
Only Man - Audio Bullys
Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Glee Cast feat Jonathan Groof
Cissy Strut - Butch Cassidy Sound System
In The Hospital - Friendly Fires
She's On Time - Barenaked Ladies
Confidences Pour Confidences - Jean Schultheis
Unbreakable - Andreas Johnson
Spaceface (Tomcraft Remix) - Simple Minds
Lovefool - The Cardigans
Hard Drive Dub - Burnt Friedman & The Nu Dub Players
Yellow - Coldplay
Ain't Takin' 'Bout Dub - Apollo 440
Be Cool - Paffendorf
Shotgun - Jr. Walker & The All Stars
Up Middle Finger - Oxide & Neutrino
Bustin' Surfboards - The Tornadoes
Without Love - Dina Carroll
Movin' On (Paramour Boassa) - Debbie Pender
Represente - Alliance Ethnik
Keep On Jumpin' - Todd Terry feat Martha Wash & Jocelyn Brown
22 - Lily Allen
Perfect - Alanis Morissette
Albatross - The Besnard Lakes
60 Miles An Hour - New Order
Down To The River To Pray - Alison Krauss
Rip Groove - Double 99
Eat That Up, It's Good For You - Two Door Cinema Club
If You Seek Amy - Britney Spears
Saturday Night - Suede
Alterstate - Delphic
Freelove - Depeche Mode
Lovecats - The Cure
Parkside - Brassy
Temptation (Edit) (Tom Lord-Alge Mix) - The Tea Party
Mandan - Raging Speedhorn
Juke - Soul Seven & Kim Wilson
Testosterone - Bush
Rip Her To Shreds - Blondie
Who You Drivin' Now? - Ash
Crutch - Absence Of Faith
Alternative Ulster - Stiff Little Fingers
Sorry - Madonna
Letter To Bill - PP Arnold
Avalon - Roxy Music
All Together Now - The Farm
She Belongs To Me - Bob Dylan
You're The Best Thing - The Style Council
Freedom - Shiva
Meat Again - Chris Moyles
Say It Again - Precious
Show Me Love (Radio Edit) - Steve Angello
Allotment (Glastonbury 96) - Reef
Long Time Coming (Big Up Version) - Bump N Flex
The Big Fake - Traffic Signs
After All - The Frank And Walters
Down In The Park - Foo Fighters
Rendez-Vous (Roger's Secret Mix) - Basement Jaxx
Slow Motion Rewind - Zen Guerilla
Another Hiding Place - Arbouretum
Exactly Like Me - Bran Van 3000
Suffocate - King Adora
Bad Babysitter - Princess Superstar feat High & Mighty
Love Me - Martine McCutcheon
The Better Me - Catch
Irresistable U Are - Alisha's Attic
Rez - Underworld
World News - Local Natives
High Times - Jamiroquai
Right Thru' It (Brown Dub) - Brown
All I Really Want (Eiffel 65 Single Remix) - Kim Lukas
Glorious - Andreas Johnson
War Machine - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Movin' On - Blur
Euro Trash Girl - Chicks On Speed
Like A Prayer - Glee Cast feat Jonathan Groff
Can't Stop This Thing We Started - Bryan Adams
Pass Out (Radio Edit) - Tinie Tempah
Kernkraft 400 (Miss Kittin & The Hacker Remix) - Zombie Nation
Beautiful People - Marilyn Manson
Mountains - The Spinto Band
Piece Of My Heart - Big Brother & The Holding Company
Maria - Blondie
Would You? - Touch And Go
What? - Soft Cell
Come On - Mos Def
Spaceship - Sean Lennon
Summer Night City - Abba
Breathless - The Corrs
Bomb - Bush
I Like It - Narcotic Thrust
One Last Moment - Christophe Beck
Satisfied - Gravity
Everywhere - Bran Van 3000
Party Til You Puke - Andrew WK
Circle In The Sand (Beach Party Mix) - Belinda Carlisle
Have I Told You Lately - Rod Stewart
The Day We Caught The Train (Glastonbury 97) - Ocean Colour Scene
It's My Turn - Angelic
You Should Be... - Blockster
Shooting Star - Flip & Fill
Irish Blood, English Heart - Morrissey
Assassin (Live) - Asian Dub Foundation
The Big Roar (Album) - The Joy Formidable
Highway To Heck - Bran Van 3000
Take On Me - A-Ha
Catch - Leaves
The Family Jewels (Album) - Marina & The Diamonds