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A review by smalltowncreepy
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
dark
inspiring
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
5.0
Where do I begin when it comes to Praise for this book?
This is my first foray into T. Kingfisher’s horror. I recently was blessed to read Nettle & Bone and I fell in love. Approaching What Moves the Dead, I was a little nervous. On one hand, I had high expectations and on the other, I feared that Nettle & Bone might be one of those moments when the Muse strikes and then perhaps leaves the artist lacking. I am happy to say, What Moves the Dead was excellent. T. Kingfisher is masterful!
This is my first foray into T. Kingfisher’s horror. I recently was blessed to read Nettle & Bone and I fell in love. Approaching What Moves the Dead, I was a little nervous. On one hand, I had high expectations and on the other, I feared that Nettle & Bone might be one of those moments when the Muse strikes and then perhaps leaves the artist lacking. I am happy to say, What Moves the Dead was excellent. T. Kingfisher is masterful!
First, we have Alex. As a genderfae person myself, I am thrilled to see a non-binary character as the main character of a book. Not only that, but the insertion of this character and their gender nonconformity, while explained very well, never felt shoe horned or like their gender was their personality. It simply was part of the character just as any female or male MC’s gender would be. I appreciated that so much after reading some books that fell through on this.
Second, approaching a classic like Poe’s Fall of the House of Usher is a HUGE undertaking. Such endeavors can easily turn into history lessons or, worse, cheap paint over fine grained wood. The latter I’ve seen occur when authors try to hard to bring a story into modernity or do not appreciate and honor the classical text for the masterpiece it is.
T. Kingfisher, I dare say, ELEVATED the classic story to something far more intriguing, beautiful, and sinister. The descriptions were so utterly gothic I found myself putting the book down just to close my eyes and picture them fully while languishing on the couch (all I was missing was a long, ephemeral gown and a choker on my pale throat. Perhaps a spilled crystal goblet of wine and piano music just slightly out of tune.) The characters had so much more depth and realism than Poe’s waifs (no offense, Ed). And the decay? Well, let me take a moment to get there…
T. Kingfisher, I dare say, ELEVATED the classic story to something far more intriguing, beautiful, and sinister. The descriptions were so utterly gothic I found myself putting the book down just to close my eyes and picture them fully while languishing on the couch (all I was missing was a long, ephemeral gown and a choker on my pale throat. Perhaps a spilled crystal goblet of wine and piano music just slightly out of tune.) The characters had so much more depth and realism than Poe’s waifs (no offense, Ed). And the decay? Well, let me take a moment to get there…
Third, the horror was so subtle. I don’t know yet if T. Kingfisher starts all of her fantasy off with horror and all of her horror off with cozy quaint scenes (I’m currently reading The Hollow Places and this seems to be the pattern) but I felt lured in with a false sense of security from the start. Surely nothing too terrible can happen when you start a novel talking about mushrooms with an old woman…right? Wrong. At first, I wasn’t bothered by the horror in it. I finished the book on a binge and then…that’s when it seeped in. Like black mold, it bloomed in my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I had dreams of mushrooms.
You see, I have some experience with the horrors of mushrooms and mold. The second apartment I lived in with my partner was owned by a slum lord. I won’t got into detail but one of the problems was how damp it stayed in there. The claustrophobic hallway that contained the utility room and laundry was filled with mold. Mushrooms bloomed, large and fleshy, out of the base boards and cracks in the walls. I got so sick, I thought I was dying so we evacuated and took the landlord to court. This book took me back to those weeks of mold and fungus literally looming over and encircling where I lived and slept.
This book was sublime. Its a creeping, lovely read that hits you during and after you think you’re finished with the story. The ONLY thing I would have liked different in it would be a glimpse into the infected mind of Madeline. Diary entries would have been perfect – her account of those early days with this fungal fiend taking her over. I thought about this far too long after reading, I won’t lie.
Recommendations
I recommend What Moves the Dead to any fans of Poe, Gothic horror, or to horror fans who are into the cottagecore/goblincore/mushroomcore vibe. I can’t, at this time, compare it to any other works. Just know it is a JOURNEY.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror