The Ravenous by Amy Lukavics
The Cane family embodies dysfunction: an absent military father, a depressed mother who self-medicates, and five daughters left to fend for themselves. Each of the sisters struggles with their own demons, including the oldest with a biting temper and the middle sister, Mona, the narrator and a fifteen-year-old alcoholic. But the family shares a mutual adoration for Rose, the youngest Cane sister. So when Rose is accidentally killed during her birthday party, their mother insists she can “save” her and takes Rose’s body, returning days later with her technically alive, but also very different. Of course, there’s a catch. In order to keep Rose in this world she needs a certain type of food–or “medicine”–as their mother calls it. The already complicated relationships between the five sisters quickly deteriorates as their increasingly frantic and immoral effort to keep Rose alive grows more horrific. How much sacrifice for their beloved sister is too much? The Ravenous runs high with complex characters, atmospheric tension, and gruesome moments that paint a very dark portrait of sisterly love.