debhawkins's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Death, Murder, Chronic illness, and Gore
Minor: Sexual content
keen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Drug use and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent and Child abuse
zghutcheson01's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug use, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Cursing
cassmreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Drug use, Blood, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gore, and Death
scifi_rat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Body horror and Blood
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse, Animal death, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Pedophilia
jasper_is_atypical's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Gore, Grief, Violence, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Self harm, Animal death, Cannibalism, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Body horror, Bullying, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual content
Moderate: Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Torture
Minor: Death of parent and Incest
evenstr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content and Drug use
jashanac's review against another edition
3.5
The beginning really hooked me, but once we get to the House of Hunger I didn't feel as connected to the story or characters. This book seemed to be trying to go for a Dowry of Blood type of vibe -- exploring abusive relationships and toxic love... however, it fell pretty short in that regard for me personally.
There definitely were "off" vibes from the Countess and she didn't seem warm & kind... but we didn't actually see much emotional manipulation and mental abuse until the very end. And we didn't really see the "how" behind Marion's sudden obsessive love for the Countess, in my opinion. She was just suddenly obsessed with her and desperate to please her and then later we were TOLD that the Countess manipulates her bloodmaids into becoming that way. But we didn't actually see it.
The other characters also were a bit too shallow for me -- Ivor, the other bloodmaids... everyone felt pretty surface level.
But again, I was still captivated with the intrigue and tension that was built, and I do think that the author has a lovely writing style that is pleasing to read. I think this just needed to be a little bit longer to really develop these things more.
Graphic: Medical content, Drug use, and Blood
archaicrobin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Based on the real Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory, Marion is a new blood maid for the House of Hunger where girls are bled for the wealthy nobles to drink. She’s not only a blood maid, but blood maid to one of the most hungry and insatiable of nobles Lisavet.
This is the second book I’ve read by Henderson that fell flat for me. I had read Year of the Witching previously and had the same problems with plot and characters. While her writing is very atmospheric and lyrical, her plots and romance all come off as stale or slow to me. House of Hunger started off great, I was invested in the story and curious as to where it would go but once Marion arrives at the castle it all just slows down. The focus shifts to the relationship between Lisavet and Marion, and it turns from a horror novel into some weird toxic romance.
Romance is not my thing, I don’t read it, I don’t pursue it, and I don’t mind it as a subplot if it’s well done, but in House of Hunger the relationship was so abusive and toxic from the start I never got behind it. Unfortunately, a huge chunk of the book is just Marion and Lisavet in the castle bleeding for each other and shooting boar, not really interesting to me.
By the time the plot picks up again, the story goes in to hyper speed and then it’s over, the pacing is not the best. Also, If you know the history of Elizabeth Bathory the twist is not a shock to you, which again probably ruined some of the intrigue for me since I’m a huge history buff and was probably unhealthily obsessed with Bathory as a child so this story was just a miss overall for me.
I can definitely see why so many people love this, it’s dark paranormal romance with gorgeous prose and a bloody story but it’s not what I’m looking for in my own reading.
Graphic: Cannibalism, Confinement, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Classism, and Death
kassidyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Physical abuse, Gore, Drug use, Terminal illness, Death, Self harm, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Cannibalism, and Torture