hazeyjane_2's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A very enjoyable, subtle horror book. Far too many horror stories have a narrator who is essentially just a camera (proxy for the viewer and there to record), and come to an abrupt stop with "And then the ghost/giant worm/eldritch horror erupted out of the ground and ate everyone. The end." Ruins the suspension of disbelief but also cheapens the whole story. I mean, I know you can sum up any genre in the same way; but in most quest-style fantasy, but there is at least an attempt at a reasonable explanation behind the McGuffin.
Kingfisher doesn't fall into this trap. She builds up the suspense by creating the fully fledged character of Alex Easton, who is an ex-soldier come to visit her childhood friend Madeline. Actual emotions, actual misconceptions, science (yay!) in the form of a female mycologist, and everything bubbling away just beneath the surface.
Side note: It was refreshing to see a military where sex characteristics truly don't matter, so, this definitely isn't a complaint. But the sentence about "people who did not want to *be* women" rubbed me a bit the wrong way. I felt that could've been worded differently. There is nothing wrong with being a woman. Changing your clothing and pronouns does not change your sex. It may change the way people perceive you, but it does not change your actual biology (unless I missed something, and this story has some magic that allows you to become truly androgynous).
I assume that Kingfisher was trying to have her cake and eat it too: both evoke the misogyny of the late 19th century and also find a way to evade it... which I highly appreciate, don't get me wrong. I liked the way she sidestepped it.
But this is fiction. Kingfisher could easily have ignored real-world history and written an alt history in which women as a class *hadn't ever* been subject to sex-based oppression. Not even a matriarchal society, just a society where no one would have blinked at a female scientist and where women had always been soldiers without question. The anecdote about how women came to join the army felt especially on the nose. We don't always have to centre the masculine experience. Or she could've made three sexes, with no further explanation needed (male, female and ka/kan), or no sexes at all.
As it stands, in a book where men and women exist, women *are* an oppressed class and sex roles are clearly similar to those of the late 19th century in our world, I would've liked a bit more information on how Galacia's sworn (and Gallacian society in general) managed to overcome the hardwired sex binary so fast, and whether this was in the military or everywhere else as well. I realise this wasn't that story, though.
Kingfisher doesn't fall into this trap. She builds up the suspense by creating the fully fledged character of Alex Easton, who is an ex-soldier come to visit her childhood friend Madeline. Actual emotions, actual misconceptions, science (yay!) in the form of a female mycologist, and everything bubbling away just beneath the surface.
Spoiler
The brilliant thing about this story is its sense of realism and plausibility. Kingfisher's tidbits are just subtle enough, and Easton's reactions to them just doubtful enough, to keep you on the edge of your seat wondering if this is truly a supernatural story or if there is some mundane solution to the dilemma. I actually googled the fungus to find out if it was real, because it reminded me so much of the zombie ant fungus.Side note: It was refreshing to see a military where sex characteristics truly don't matter, so, this definitely isn't a complaint. But the sentence about "people who did not want to *be* women" rubbed me a bit the wrong way. I felt that could've been worded differently. There is nothing wrong with being a woman. Changing your clothing and pronouns does not change your sex. It may change the way people perceive you, but it does not change your actual biology (unless I missed something, and this story has some magic that allows you to become truly androgynous).
I assume that Kingfisher was trying to have her cake and eat it too: both evoke the misogyny of the late 19th century and also find a way to evade it... which I highly appreciate, don't get me wrong. I liked the way she sidestepped it.
But this is fiction. Kingfisher could easily have ignored real-world history and written an alt history in which women as a class *hadn't ever* been subject to sex-based oppression. Not even a matriarchal society, just a society where no one would have blinked at a female scientist and where women had always been soldiers without question. The anecdote about how women came to join the army felt especially on the nose. We don't always have to centre the masculine experience. Or she could've made three sexes, with no further explanation needed (male, female and ka/kan), or no sexes at all.
As it stands, in a book where men and women exist, women *are* an oppressed class and sex roles are clearly similar to those of the late 19th century in our world, I would've liked a bit more information on how Galacia's sworn (and Gallacian society in general) managed to overcome the hardwired sex binary so fast, and whether this was in the military or everywhere else as well. I realise this wasn't that story, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Death
Minor: War and Vomit
owlribbon's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Body horror
Minor: Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, and War
sammirosewater's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Blood, Gore, Animal death, Death, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/injury detail, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Torture, Terminal illness, Violence, and Stalking
charla_t's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Murder, Medical content, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Terminal illness, War, Gore, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide
kelleykamanda's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
So much potential…
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Chronic illness, Medical content, and Blood
Moderate: Murder, Ableism, Body horror, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Suicide
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
5.0
This book was so atmospheric and eerie and I absolutely loved it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, War, Suicide, and Animal death
Moderate: Gun violence
samwescott's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Ooh, I loved this. I feel like I've read a lot of fungal horror over the last year or so, but this was my favorite iteration of that style. It was delightful creepy and the general sense of infection and contamination was a perfect way to heighten and sustain the fear of the whole story.
Personally, I really love retellings of classics and this worked so well as an updated Poe and I really enjoyed all the added cultural layers from the narrating character, especially the new understanding of gender from their country and how pronouns were used. This story managed to make neo-pronouns feel completely natural and also used them to express some complicated emotions during the big reveal.
I'm low-key terrified of hares now.
Loved the shade at the American character and I'm obsessed with Angus and Ms Potter. Madeline and Roderick had that super classic gothic vibe that I love. The lake was terrifying and the house was terrifying. And Hobbes! Kingfisher really writes the best animal sidekicks.
Really fun adaptation. Good horror and the Poe vibes came through, even with such a subject transformation. Highly recommend!
Personally, I really love retellings of classics and this worked so well as an updated Poe and I really enjoyed all the added cultural layers from the narrating character, especially the new understanding of gender from their country and how pronouns were used. This story managed to make neo-pronouns feel completely natural and also used them to express some complicated emotions during the big reveal.
I'm low-key terrified of hares now.
Loved the shade at the American character and I'm obsessed with Angus and Ms Potter. Madeline and Roderick had that super classic gothic vibe that I love. The lake was terrifying and the house was terrifying. And Hobbes! Kingfisher really writes the best animal sidekicks.
Really fun adaptation. Good horror and the Poe vibes came through, even with such a subject transformation. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Terminal illness
Moderate: Chronic illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Animal death
elliotvanz's review
dark
mysterious
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? No
5.0
It takes a lot to creep me out, and even more to make me swear out loud while reading. This book accomplished it numerous times. Kingfisher modernizes this Fall of the House of Usher retelling and manages to surpass the original in both atmosphere and sheer creeping dread. With a non-binary main character that arrives on the scene fully fleshed out and sympathetic, and a setting that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, the grotesque has never been so engrossing. This perfectly paced slice of horror was gothic at its best. I'll never look a rabbit without suspicion again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Animal death, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, and Grief
Minor: Suicide, War, Gore, and Medical trauma
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