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
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
maddiereadswords's review against another edition
3.5
Spoiler
the cat survives!!Graphic: Cannibalism, Classism, Confinement, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Drug use, Gore, Trafficking, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, and Toxic relationship
bluemoon_dani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Vomit, Murder, and Drug use
raisinreads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cannibalism, Classism, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Confinement
sproutedpages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Drug use, Confinement, Blood, Gore, Death, Murder, Self harm, Trafficking, Child abuse, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism, Slavery, Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Addiction
cozyscones'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: Violence, Death, Blood, Gore, Murder, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body horror, Classism, and Child abuse
Minor: Cannibalism
tnm94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Body horror, Mental illness, Self harm, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Animal death, Classism, Addiction, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Incest