Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

137 reviews

mr_cain's review

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Fascinating concepts.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, Gore, Blood, Murder, Body horror, Animal death, Death, Chronic illness, and Grief

Moderate: Blood

Minor: War, Misogyny, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Confinement

glitterdeww's review

dark informative mysterious medium-paced

• 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? No

4.0

What Moves the Dead, crafted with care, humor, and darkness, has earned it's hype as a creative retelling of Fall of the House of Usher. This is the second novel I've read by T. Kingfisher (or Ursula Vernon, if you please), and they are 2 for 2 in Gothic charm. I will probably be shelving things by this subgenre in the future, as it is quickly becoming a favorite. 

I thought the story, characters, and setting were all well done. In sitting down to write a review, I do feel a little bit vague. I'm not sure how to describe it... It's as if I had a craving throughout this story that wasn't entirely satisfied. I wanted a little more throughout the story, maybe a deeper dive into the setting, and I wanted it to last longer as a whole. But that said, I can't point to anything in particular with criticism. It was quite good, and I thoroughly enjoyed what was delivered. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Body horror

jhaneveauguste's review

dark tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Suicide, and Terminal illness

raptorq's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Terminal illness and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: War, Vomit, and Medical content

theaceofpages's review against another edition

tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

The mood and setting were incredible. The set up was beautifully done. The actual events were just okay. I'm not quite sure what it was, but I was hoping for something more. I don't know if it was just me but I kind of figured out the twist right at the start?

The foreshadowing wasn't exactly subtle.

It was a little repetitive because of this. Overall, not a bad read but I was expecting more given how popular it is.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Animal death, and Death

Minor: Terminal illness

vickybuka's review

dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Gore, Medical content, Violence, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide, War, and Death

Minor: Gun violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

anastasiamakes's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This is definitely more on the horror-end of Kingfisher's work (which it doesn't pretend not to be!) and I just found some of the body horror a bit much for me. Not an issue with the book itself, just not for me. Still had the balance of darkness and humour that I've enjoyed in her other works.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness and Death

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Suicide, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

hobbit_at_heart's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Animal death

Moderate: Medical content, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, War, Murder, Suicide, and Alcohol

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Medical trauma

systemofanoun's review

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious relaxing fast-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

I wasn’t sure about this one at first, it was described to me as a suspenseful thriller. 

It turned out to be a charming and captivating gothic novel. 

Whether or not you’ve read The Fall of the House of Usher by Poe you’ll love how unnerving What Moves the Dead is. From beginning to end you’re immersed in the eerie gothic setting with some themes that lean more towards science fiction. 

Easton made for a very enjoyable, comedic, and fairly level headed protagonist. 

A few criticisms I have is that there were times the transitions between scenes felt clunky. The last 20% of the book is fast-paced but rather than intense or high stakes it just feels very rushed, almost as if the writer didn’t enjoy or put as much care into it in comparison. Oh well.

Anyway, if you want a fun quick read, I’d recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Moderate: Death and Terminal illness

Minor: Misogyny and War

lct's review

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Terminal illness

Moderate: Medical content and War

Minor: Suicide and Transphobia