Reviews tagging 'Grief'

House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

22 reviews

e_riahh's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sav_22's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I think this was a fun read if you like darker gothic stories. There are many sapphic characters at the focal point which I enjoy seeing in a complex narrative involving almost-vampires. It has its flaws and definitely keeps you on your toes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Sexual content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

I think the worldbuilding started off strong but

I think it could have used a lot more context, especially with how drinking blood helps vs what happened with Cecilia and how she was drained of youth literally. I also think maybe this could thrive better as a series, as I feel like the end was exciting but ultimately widely open to interpretation on what is next. I think the characters all were promising and I enjoyed the horror aspect, but I would have liked to see a little more back and forth with Marion and the other characters like Mae or the sisters and esp Irene to drive home she’d be willing to give up her desire to belong and have authority. I think what was written was solid but personally I would have liked to see why they would take her word for it and see more conflict with Marion on her desires vs what’s the right decision for their safety. It also would have been interesting if there was maybe a romantic influence for Marion with Irene/another bloodmaid vs with Lisavet to have her struggle defining genuine love and lust. That can be done without another romance too, as I think that’s what her loyalty was meant to show at the end platonically, I just once again feel like more development there could have made the betrayal to Lisavet more fulfilling.

rock_gnome's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

written_in_mold's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is a vampire book the way Dracula and Camilla are vampire books. It takes its genre to the base elements, blood, manipulation, power dynamics, and so much more. It is amazing. Every character is complex and you can understand them even if you hate them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Incest, Infidelity, and Kidnapping

wordsareworlds's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

One of the best gothic novels I've ever read, hands down. And it's sapphic! Cannot recommend this enough, for how expertly Henderson weaves the mood of not only the House structure but the overall worldbuilding, the relationships, the in-universe history, the seductive nature of this terrible, terrible system. Everything about it entices while it horrifies, and it doesn't shy away from confronting the classism and racism that make up so much of the tension in gothic lit. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Murder

bookishcookiemonster's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

The idea was great, execution not as much. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. I wish we knew more about the world this takes place in. 
And the overall story is very slow and boring. 
This might have been better as a short-story 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

salemander's review

4.75

love a gothic vampire vibe and this book does it so well. it was so interesting to see marian’s descent into this strange world and the ways she has to regain her sense of self. i wanted a little more character development from all the girls in this story, i felt like we only really saw just like outlines of who they all were, but overall i really enjoyed this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

that_guy_bo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Many of the reviews I'd read about this book focused heavily on the sapphic elements, so as a gay man, I wasn't sure if this one was "for me." But, the blurb had intrigued me, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
 And I have to say, this was one of the most gripping books I've ever read!

 I've raved about it to anyone and everyone at every possible opportunity, because it really doesn't matter what your sexual orientation is, this is an entrancing book.

  The scenery is dripping with every possible luxury, which makes the slowly mounting horror of the story stand that much starker against the decadent backdrop.

Additionally, as a huge fan of vampires, while this isn't technically a vampire story, it has all the trappings of one, and it certainly has the atmosphere! So if you're a fan of vampires, you'll very likely love this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Medical content, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Minor: Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Self harm, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Classism

zghutcheson01's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Blood

Moderate: Drug use, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

jasper_is_atypical's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Torture, and Xenophobia

Minor: Incest and Death of parent