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A review by micksland
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
4 stars
I can confidently list “What Moves the Dead” as an example of an adaptation which exceeds the limitations of its source material. “What Moves the Dead” provides an updated look at Poe’s classic story “The Fall of the House of Usher” (which is highly overrated and not at all scary, in my opinion).
Kingfisher’s take replaces Poe’s unnamed narrator with soldier Alex Easton, adds in a smattering of lovable side characters, and delves into the characters of Madeline and Roderick Usher as well.
The first half of this short novel was very slow, but the second half was full of very real terror. Kingfisher did an excellent job at answering some of Poe’s unanswered questions, while still leaving a layer of mystery and occult uneasiness that pervades the story.
I can confidently list “What Moves the Dead” as an example of an adaptation which exceeds the limitations of its source material. “What Moves the Dead” provides an updated look at Poe’s classic story “The Fall of the House of Usher” (which is highly overrated and not at all scary, in my opinion).
Kingfisher’s take replaces Poe’s unnamed narrator with soldier Alex Easton, adds in a smattering of lovable side characters, and delves into the characters of Madeline and Roderick Usher as well.
The first half of this short novel was very slow, but the second half was full of very real terror. Kingfisher did an excellent job at answering some of Poe’s unanswered questions, while still leaving a layer of mystery and occult uneasiness that pervades the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Animal death, Murder, and Body horror
Moderate: Suicide