Reviews with content warning for Body horror - What Feasts at Night

This was ALMOST 5 stars for me. I love Kingfisher's unique and compelling writing style, and the unsettling atmospheres she can create. I also like that we get to see Alex's character again, I really hope this series continues! But this one had a slow start, and the ending was a bit underwelming.

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jayburding's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

This sits around a 3.5 but I rounded up because I'm willing to be generous for a writer I enjoy. And I did enjoy this book, but unfortunately it suffers from prodigy sibling syndrome. What Moves the Dead was a creeping horror that sank into your bones and wouldn't be moved. What Feasts At Night seems to be walking that road initially but stumbles and never really regains its footing. The What in this book simply doesn't command the same fear as its predecessor, too slow in its approach, too easily dispatched.

Also, I must confess, I have a violent hatred of the trope where characters don't communicate and then react poorly when other characters try and fail to interpret their vagueries. I lost patience with the Widow quickly, which takes some doing in a book this short, and while the ending somewhat redeemed this character choice, the frustration still lingered. Alex's slowness to pick up on supernatural shenanigans, especially after what happened in the previous book, felt mildly farcical and too drawn out, and kan being treated as the resident idiot outstayed its welcome. I was disappointed at how little Miss Potter got to contribute this time, and honestly you could have removed her and called this book a prequel and it might have worked better.

I enjoy Kingfisher's writing, and Alex's character really appeals to me. I'm not a fan of first person so getting me to read it is a victory in itself, and unquestionably enjoy it even more so. I would happily read more of Sworn Soldier, and I hope there is more coming, I just think Kingfisher has a real talent for body horror that could have gone a lot harder in this book, and it would have hit like it did in WMTD. I enjoyed what was here but I wanted more.

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meganpbell's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

Alex Easton returns, this time to their family’s neglected hunting lodge, where death comes quietly at night to suck the very breath from your lungs. What Feasts at Night has all the darkly humorous, thrillingly gothic, and deliciously folkloric horror we know and love from its predecessor What Moves the Dead. I just enjoy Alex, Angus, and Miss Potter so much, I’d follow them into any creepy corner of Gallacia! Read for the #TransRightsReadathon!

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saltycoffee's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.75

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kittyinatophat's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

Please let the next Easton adventure have The Noon Witch

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not_another_ana's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.5

Had I imagined it? Would it be better or worse if I had?

Everyone's favorite Gallacian sworn soldier is back! And this time in their own country. Alex and Angus head down to Easton's old hunting lodge, as a favor to Miss Potter who is keen to study the local mushroom population. But the lodge is in a state of disarray and there's rumours in town of a deadly figure from local mythology haunting the area and robbing people of their breath. Rumours that might have a grain of truth to them.

This was fun, charming, fast paced, however I will say that the first book was better. While What Moves the Dead had a developing mystery that ends up in a big confrontation this one is more of a slow burn with less high stakes and a more introspective vibe. Read this if you enjoyed the narration of the first one and grew attached to Alex Easton and their peculiarities. It was still quite enjoyable and I ate it up, it just could have delivered a bit more. Loved learning more about Gallacia and its costumes, same as hearing about Easton's past in the military. I could easily read another in this series, it's like eating a big bucket of popcorn.

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atlas_shruggs's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

"Blessed Virgin, why must you keep sending me innocent monsters?"

This is such a wonderful continuation of Alex's story and I absolutely loved it. It delves so much deeper into Alex's mental state and their experiences in the war, as well as really immersing the reader in Gallacian culture. Alex continues to be an absolutely hilarious narrator, a complete idiot and very aware of it and about as socially awkward as you can get. The folklore woven into the story was also so interesting to me, and I personally liked the slow-burn, except maybe for the fact that everything got resolved in the last 20 pages. I suppose it is hard to make a slow-burn horror novella but I feel that T. Kingfisher did a very good job with this one. Sure this sequel was not nearly as action-packed as the first book, but I feel that it was very atmospheric and focused more on the way folklore can affect cultures as well as exploring the characters themselves.

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