I expected not to like this book for two reasons: 1. I thought I knew anything important there is to know about the Donner party, and 2. I read a lot of crime and survival stories, but I draw the line at tales of cannibalism. However, this was my book club's selection, so I read it. And I'm glad I did. 
Brown did a masterful job of putting the reader into the time and culture of the Donner party, to such an extent that I was kept in suspense, rooting for all to survive, even though I know how the story ends.
History has much maligned the Donner party, often turning the story into a sick punchline, but Brown restored the group's humanity in a way that I found moving and inspiring. This is among the best survival novels I have read.