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A review by _thelitlibrarian
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
4.00 stars
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TW; Body Horror, Animal Cruelty, Gore, Animal Death, Death, Suicide, Fire/Fire Injury
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T.Kingfisher does it once again, this modern retelling of Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" exceeded all expectations that I had. What started off as a pretty simple retelling turned into something I didn't expect at all, I love how in this adaptation we see Madeleine as a full-forced detailed character, her presence adds a lot more to the story than in the original. Having a non-binary narrator really enhanced the novel as a whole, and by doing so, really brought in the element of a modern horror story.
When Alex Easton a retired soldier receives word that their childhood friend Madeline is dying, and her brother Roderick has been consumed by the madness, they race back to the Usher house in Ruritania. This entire book gave me creepy vibes, from the fungal growth to the possessed animals who move in mysterious ways. Every page of this book kept me on my toes as I didn't know what to expect. The scenes that took place at night were the ones to creep me out the most, the eerie description of the way that she moved and the voice that came out of her mouth was spine-chilling. Alex must team up with an American doctor and British mycologist to get to the bottom of what happened in the house before it becomes too late and consumes them all.
This short novella makes for a good one-sitting read, it makes the perfect paranormal/mystery/fantasy/horror. So if you're into any of those, I highly recommend you check this one out!
-
TW; Body Horror, Animal Cruelty, Gore, Animal Death, Death, Suicide, Fire/Fire Injury
-
T.Kingfisher does it once again, this modern retelling of Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" exceeded all expectations that I had. What started off as a pretty simple retelling turned into something I didn't expect at all, I love how in this adaptation we see Madeleine as a full-forced detailed character, her presence adds a lot more to the story than in the original. Having a non-binary narrator really enhanced the novel as a whole, and by doing so, really brought in the element of a modern horror story.
When Alex Easton a retired soldier receives word that their childhood friend Madeline is dying, and her brother Roderick has been consumed by the madness, they race back to the Usher house in Ruritania. This entire book gave me creepy vibes, from the fungal growth to the possessed animals who move in mysterious ways. Every page of this book kept me on my toes as I didn't know what to expect. The scenes that took place at night were the ones to creep me out the most, the eerie description of the way that she moved and the voice that came out of her mouth was spine-chilling. Alex must team up with an American doctor and British mycologist to get to the bottom of what happened in the house before it becomes too late and consumes them all.
This short novella makes for a good one-sitting read, it makes the perfect paranormal/mystery/fantasy/horror. So if you're into any of those, I highly recommend you check this one out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Animal death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, and Suicide