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booksthatburn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
Alex is still unsettled by the events at the house of Usher, but is looking forward to a reunion with Miss Potter and a chance to show her their home in Gallacia. Trying to not let their newly-rooted fear of mushrooms damped their joy in the mycologist's company, Alex instead downplays rumors of a breath-stealing being who can be a woman or a swarm of moths. WHAT FEASTS AT NIGHT is a story of haunting and fear, of stolen breath and terrible dreams. It's an excellent sequel to WHAT MOVES THE DEAD, building on Alex's previous experiences but featuring an entirely new disturbance to their life.
This doesn't specifically wrap up something left hanging, but it continues several of the relationships first developed in WHAT MOVES THE DEAD. The main storyline is new, and the breath-stealing threat is both introduced and resolved. Alex's narration somehow contains even more stories of their fondness for and exasperation with Gallacia as a place they don't want to inhabit but can't seem to leave behind. The actual narrative can stand on its own, and Alex conveys the relevant backstory succinctly enough, but certain elements of Alex's fear will resonate much more to a reader who is familiar with the events of the previous book.
I enjoyed this and look forward to where Alex's frightful travels take them next!
This doesn't specifically wrap up something left hanging, but it continues several of the relationships first developed in WHAT MOVES THE DEAD. The main storyline is new, and the breath-stealing threat is both introduced and resolved. Alex's narration somehow contains even more stories of their fondness for and exasperation with Gallacia as a place they don't want to inhabit but can't seem to leave behind. The actual narrative can stand on its own, and Alex conveys the relevant backstory succinctly enough, but certain elements of Alex's fear will resonate much more to a reader who is familiar with the events of the previous book.
I enjoyed this and look forward to where Alex's frightful travels take them next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Terminal illness, Gore, Blood, Xenophobia, War, and Death
sylvestra's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Alcohol
Minor: Blood
michaelcattigan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, and Gore
Minor: War
ilaxaria's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Gore
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Vomit, Blood, and Rape
vaguely_pink's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
**Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC**
After loving What Moves the Dead in 2022, I eagerly gobbled up What Feasts at Night. T. Kingfisher has once again woven an expertly crafted spooky tale filled with dread, fascinating lore, and her signature dark humor in this novella. These characters are far more compelling, complete, and likeable than many I've read in far longer books. Kingfisher has also written a wonderfully honest experience of PTSD from a perspective that isn't often seen.
I did find myself wishing there was a little bit more after reading What Feasts at Night, which while I commonly feel with novellas, I did not feel that way with this book's predecessor. I wish there'd been a little more lore explained behind the Moroi. I think What Moves the Dead avoided this pitfall by simply being a retelling of a familiar story. What Feasts at Night didn't have that base to fall back on.
All in all, I still absolutely loved my time back with Easton, Angus, Miss Potter, and my favorite Hob, and am looking forward to picking up the hardcover when it's released!
After loving What Moves the Dead in 2022, I eagerly gobbled up What Feasts at Night. T. Kingfisher has once again woven an expertly crafted spooky tale filled with dread, fascinating lore, and her signature dark humor in this novella. These characters are far more compelling, complete, and likeable than many I've read in far longer books. Kingfisher has also written a wonderfully honest experience of PTSD from a perspective that isn't often seen.
I did find myself wishing there was a little bit more after reading What Feasts at Night, which while I commonly feel with novellas, I did not feel that way with this book's predecessor. I wish there'd been a little more lore explained behind the Moroi. I think What Moves the Dead avoided this pitfall by simply being a retelling of a familiar story. What Feasts at Night didn't have that base to fall back on.
All in all, I still absolutely loved my time back with Easton, Angus, Miss Potter, and my favorite Hob, and am looking forward to picking up the hardcover when it's released!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Animal death
Minor: Confinement, Grief, Chronic illness, Classism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Cursing, Alcohol, War, and Death of parent
ezwolf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
What Feasts at Night, the sequel to What Moves the Dead follows Easton as they return to their home and a familiar hunting lodge in Gallacia. Right on the heels of their experience with their childhood friend and some horrifying mushrooms, plus the PTSD from their time as a soldier, the story starts off with us already a little on edge.
Between the two I think I liked What Moves the Dead more both as a story and in terms of the horror vibe. But I liked learning more about Gallacian culture and hearing more about Easton's childhood. I was also very fond of the affection and trust that Easton has for their horse.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Between the two I think I liked What Moves the Dead more both as a story and in terms of the horror vibe. But I liked learning more about Gallacian culture and hearing more about Easton's childhood. I was also very fond of the affection and trust that Easton has for their horse.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Body horror
Moderate: Grief and War
Minor: Blood, Alcohol, and Death
readingpicnic's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
2.5
I was gifted an ARC of this book by the publisher on NetGalley.
First off, the body horror was excellent as always with T. Kingfisher, especially in the nightmare sequences where flesh and faces fell apart with such ease. So gross, but so captivatingly vivid, especially with the horses and the spirit haunting them. There was quite a bit of lore and backstory for Easton and their time as a soldier, which helped build their character and give context for how they react to certain situations.
I found the first half of the story fairly slow and wasn’t a big fan of the main character breaking the fourth wall to speak to me, as well as some of the humor just not being for me personally. However, I felt similarly during the first novel, so I should have remembered to expect these things. I feel that the story wasn’t as fleshed out as What Moves the Dead and that in comparison to that story, it felt like nothing happened. To me, it felt like the only things of consequence that happened plot-wise was that a few characters got sick, had sleep paralysis, and then recovered. Although there were reappearances of characters who were in the first novel, they felt kind of flat and inconsequential to the story, especially Miss Potter, who seemed to have a lackluster and domestic role compared to how dynamic, independent, and important she was in the first book. It also frustrated me that Easton was so skeptical of anything happening in the novel being due to paranormal causes after everything that happened in the first book, which other characters did bring up, but I think it took way too long for Easton to come around to believing in the supernatural or their townspeople’s beliefs. Overall, I was a little disappointed reading this sequel, and I wish it had more substance to it. If the series continues, I hope that more happens in the next book because I did really enjoy the fungal/body horror and relationships explored in the first book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Body horror, and War
city_girl_writer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was not what I expected. This was leaning more character-driven than plot-driven with the horror. I kinda grew bored around halfway through when Alex was refusing to believe that their home has a ghost, especially after What Moves the Dead. Nonetheless, once the horror came in, I was seated and the novella grew on me. I got to learn more about Alex and their experience with "solider's heart" (aka PTSD). I think this was a worthwhile sequel and looking forward to Sworn Soldier #3. Come into it knowing this leans more character-driven and the horror elements are belated.
Content warnings: PTSD, death, war
This was not what I expected. This was leaning more character-driven than plot-driven with the horror. I kinda grew bored around halfway through when Alex was refusing to believe that their home has a ghost, especially after What Moves the Dead. Nonetheless, once the horror came in, I was seated and the novella grew on me. I got to learn more about Alex and their experience with "solider's heart" (aka PTSD). I think this was a worthwhile sequel and looking forward to Sworn Soldier #3. Come into it knowing this leans more character-driven and the horror elements are belated.
Content warnings: PTSD, death, war
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, War, and Blood
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