The Donner Party, by Dale Bailey

The Donner Party is a Locus Award finalist in the novelette category.  It has nothing to do with the historical Donner party.  So that name just has a hard go of it.  Because it actually does have to do with the Donner Party--in that the people in the story eat human flesh ("ensouled" flesh).  In this case by choice, with full awareness.  The story is set in Victorian England, and the protagonist is a social climber--it's more of a horror story than anything speculative, but it's pretty darn horrible.  Weak 3 stars from me.