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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
The sequel to What Moves the Dead, we finally visit Alex's home country with Alex and the gang at an abandoned hunting lodge. When the former caretaker has died of an illness the village deems supernatural, Alex will have to vie with the strange forces of the house.
I read this in a vlog where I read autumnal books while on a mountain vacation! You can check that out here: Fall Reading Vlog
I'm not huge on novellas, but What Moves the Dead was such a win for me that I of course wanted to continue in this series. I think it was hard to follow up, since it was based on an existing story and this one would no longer have ties to that. This book instead focuses on a folkloric creature, the Moroi - a woman who will sit on your chest in your sleep and steal your breath. I liked learning more about this fictional country and of course learning more about Alex's backstory. The strongest aspect of this book in my mind is the representation of PTSD as it relates to veterans. I think this did a good job portraying the disorientation and fear that can be ever present for those who have experienced war. While the vibes of the two books were similar, they almost took opposite approaches to how they presented their horror. The first book took a supernatural thing and presented it in a scientific way, while this I would argue took a scientific thing and presented it as supernatural. I like this blend in both, but I think book one has the edge. The Moroi itself was not my favorite horror creature I've come across. The build up around the Moroi just didn't creep me out like the build up in book 1 did, and I wasn't feeling much of the horror until the very last sequences of the book.
Overall, I liked the commentary that this had, and while I think it was a good follow up to book 1 that fans will enjoy, I don't think it was quite as successful.
I read this in a vlog where I read autumnal books while on a mountain vacation! You can check that out here: Fall Reading Vlog
I'm not huge on novellas, but What Moves the Dead was such a win for me that I of course wanted to continue in this series. I think it was hard to follow up, since it was based on an existing story and this one would no longer have ties to that. This book instead focuses on a folkloric creature, the Moroi - a woman who will sit on your chest in your sleep and steal your breath. I liked learning more about this fictional country and of course learning more about Alex's backstory. The strongest aspect of this book in my mind is the representation of PTSD as it relates to veterans. I think this did a good job portraying the disorientation and fear that can be ever present for those who have experienced war. While the vibes of the two books were similar, they almost took opposite approaches to how they presented their horror. The first book took a supernatural thing and presented it in a scientific way, while this I would argue took a scientific thing and presented it as supernatural. I like this blend in both, but I think book one has the edge. The Moroi itself was not my favorite horror creature I've come across. The build up around the Moroi just didn't creep me out like the build up in book 1 did, and I wasn't feeling much of the horror until the very last sequences of the book.
Overall, I liked the commentary that this had, and while I think it was a good follow up to book 1 that fans will enjoy, I don't think it was quite as successful.
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
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:
No
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
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
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
funny
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
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Another delightfully eerie supernatural tale featuring Alex Easton and friends. This time trouble finds Alex in their very own hunting lodge in Gallacia. The entire cast of characters was wonderful in their own peculiar ways. (Yes, even the Widow Botezatu. She was a hoot.) It was a fine thing to see Angus and Miss Potter in another story. Their familiar faces and mannerisms made the creepiness of the goings-on a bit more easy to bear than if Alex had been alone amongst strangers. As usual, the protagonist's unique sense of wry humor was excellently blended with the horror plot to keep things from being too unremmitingly bleak. This is a series I will continue to follow.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes