Reviews with content warning for War - What Feasts at Night

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What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

80 reviews

netthauser's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A flawless novella. Kingfisher's precise use of language creates an entire world, people, and history in 150 pages. The narrative arc builds on itself with a very satisfying conclusion.

P.S. I love the allusion to German fairy tales at the end ("und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind, dann leben sie noch bis heute").

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booksthatburn's review against another edition

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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!

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thrym's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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bloomerism's review against another edition

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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

4.5

"Blessed Virgin," I whispered, even though I couldn’t even hear myself. "Why must you keep sending me innocent monsters?"

This was so much fun to read that I blasted through it in one sitting. I liked it a bit more than What Moves the Dead, but mainly because I was already familiar with the main cast of characters going into this story, which left a bit more room for character development for Easton. They are such a fun protagonist, and I'm glad we got to explore more of their history from the Serbian-Bulgarian war in this book.

For those who weren't a fan of the mushroom zombie gore in the last book, this one has a different vibe! More of a folklore-y ghost story, which I love, so I was happy. If you were on the fence about the last one, I would still recommend checking this one out, because you might be pleasantly surprised. I will be not-so-patiently waiting for the next one!

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lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

I read and enjoyed "What Moves the Dead" last year, and I was excited to continue with the story.
"What Feasts at Night" follows Alex Easton, a retired solider just looking for some serious down time. After their wild time at the Usher manor, Alex is happy to return to the family hunting house. Unfortunately, there is something amiss, and Alex will have to investigate to uncover the truth about what is happening.
This was a very short, quick, and gothic story. It is very easy to get into, and I felt like this could be read independently from "What Moves the Dead."
Alex is a strong protagonist, which makes reading from their perspective all the better. Alex is smart, cunning, but has the greatest heart. Alex does not stand for those she loves to suffer, and they stop at nothing to help bring justice.
This story felt very haunting, and I really enjoyed uncovering the mystery of what was happening to the people. I do wish we got more of the story, so that we could appreciate this situation more.
I will definitely continue to pick up and read T. Kingfisher in the future.

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