House of Hunger starts off dripping with atmosphere and promise, pulling you into its dark, decadent world with a premise that feels fresh and intoxicating. The setting is gothic and immersive, the kind of eerie and opulent environment that immediately grabs your attention. Henderson crafts a world where hunger—both literal and metaphorical—is at the forefront, and the protagonist’s desperation and ambition make for an interesting journey into this twisted society. The LGBTQ+ representation is woven naturally into the narrative, and the gothic horror elements are compelling (at least, in the beginning).

Unfortunately, that momentum doesn’t last. About a half of the way in, the plot becomes painfully predictable, stripping the tension and intrigue from what could have been a gripping descent into something more sinister. The dark court politics and power struggles, which should have been enthralling, begin to feel repetitive rather than revelatory. I found myself skimming through scenes that seemed to rehash the same ideas, waiting for a twist or a moment of depth that never quite came. The world-building and concept remain strong throughout, but the execution fails to sustain the suspense needed to keep the reader fully invested.

As much as I wanted to connect with the characters, I struggled. The protagonist, while intriguing in the beginning, starts to feel detached, and her development remains somewhat surface-level. Her relationships, particularly the central dynamic driving much of the story, lack the complexity needed to make them truly compelling. The push-and-pull of power and control should have been the novel’s most gripping aspect, but instead, it feels underdeveloped, missing the sharp edge it needed to make a lasting impact.

And then there’s the ending. If the first part of the book had me hooked, the last portion had me sighing in frustration. Instead of delivering something shocking or subversive, it leans into an expected conclusion that feels almost hollow. The climax, rather than feeling like a grand payoff, is too predictable to be satisfying, leaving the story with an unfortunate lack of punch.

Overall, House of Hunger is a book with an incredible premise that loses itself in predictability. The first few chapters promised something lush, dark, and exhilarating, but by the end, it felt like a story that played it too safe. I wanted to love it all the way through, but I walked away feeling underwhelmed. That being said, Henderson’s writing style and world-building still make this worth checking out for fans of gothic fantasy, even if it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. A fantastic start with a disappointing finish.