"House of Hunger" by Alexis Henderson

“I’ve built you a house out of my bones and still it’s as if you believe there are cracks in it.”

Themes: Desire; Power; Competition; Survival; Class; Suspense; Horror

Discussion Questions:

1. How do Henderson's "vampires" differ from traditional vampire mythos? How are they similar?

2. Did you enjoy the world-building of The House of Hunger? Why or why not?

3. What did you think about Marion's ambition?

4. What was the dynamic between Marion and the other bloodmaids? How did these dynamics shift throughout the book?

5. Marion is continuously haunted by her brother Raul throughout the book. Why do you think Henderson chose to involve him so much in the story, however indirectly?

6. The divide between the North and the South speaks to class differences and privilege. How did Marion navigate this in the past, and later at the House of Hunger? Did the commentary on class remind you of a specific historical era?

7. Lisavet is constantly portrayed as possessive, moody and power-hungry. Why do the bloodmaids want her approval so much? What do they like about her? How does she make them feel?

8. What did you think about Iver? What were his motivations in this book? What did he want?

9. What were your reactions to the ending? How would you have changed it? Would you have kept it the same?