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leguinstan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
And now that I've finished the novella I can say that it's perfectly... okay. While the imagery in the novel is creepy at times, it does not compare to the feeling of oppressive dread in the original short story. I re-read "The Fall of the House of Usher" a day prior to starting Kingfisher's retelling so the differences between the two stories were keenly felt. The house in What Moves the Dead merely feels like the dilapidated setting and nexus of unsettling occurrences whereas the house in Poe's story feels like a malevolent entity--its influence overpowering and nigh-inescapable.
To be clear: this difference is not a problem in and of itself. Unfortunately the retelling's plot, character, and world-building additions are simply not good enough to make that difference worthwhile. The tradeoff for the sake of a slightly more complex story feels like a net loss. With such a short page count, the time spent describing the customs and culture of the main character's fictional country of origin feels like highway robbery--leaving the characters and atmosphere in a more impoverished state of affairs. Although lacking in depth, the cast of characters are passably entertaining, likeable, and play off each other decently well. The biggest issue is that the mystery behind the rapidly deteriorating health of the Usher siblings is super predictable
Now I would like to say that if my familiarity with "The Fall of the House of Usher" set me up for disappointment, then my familiarity with T. Kingfisher did so doubly because I know that she can do so much better than this. She has written scarier, more menacing stories. And she has written characters that are exponentially more endearing and compelling. But most importantly: she is an author that is full of surprises--catching me off guard in the most delightful, laugh-inducing, and emotionally moving ways.
Like I said: she can do better than this. And if you're considering making this novella your introduction to T. Kingfisher then you can certainly do better dear reader! If you're specifically looking for her more creepy tales, I recommend two of her short stories: "Razorback" and "Let Pass the Horses Black". Both are published in Jackalope Wives and Other Stories and the former is available for free on Apex Magazine's website (listed under her real name: Ursula Vernon).
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Terminal illness, Blood, and Gore
Minor: War
kristinrdub's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Terminal illness, and Animal death
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
nekoshka's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Gore, Terminal illness, and Animal death
Moderate: Alcohol and War
caligo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Gore and Animal death
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Suicide
sourkiwi's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Terminal illness, Death, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Medical content, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Murder, Cursing, Gun violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide
Minor: Alcohol and Fire/Fire injury
charla_t's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Murder, Medical content, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Terminal illness, War, Gore, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide
marthadude's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Body horror, Death, Alcohol, and Terminal illness
Minor: Mental illness, War, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
kimberlyswalters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide
Moderate: Gore, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Chronic illness, Medical content, Murder, and War
Minor: Grief
nyssa_jo's review
- 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
Graphic: Terminal illness and Death
Moderate: Animal death and Transphobia
Minor: War, Murder, Vomit, Body horror, Grief, Alcohol, and Suicide
kk_bonton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Terminal illness, and Blood
Moderate: War, Medical content, Violence, Gore, Death, Suicide, Mental illness, and Gun violence