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emptybookspace 's review for:
What Moves the Dead
by T. Kingfisher
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
That was one of the most interesting works I've read in a while. When I learned that it was a retelling of Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher I was immediately curious about how it approached the source material. I was not disappointed.
Despite the novella being quite short, the author managed to make me care about all of the characters, and I instantly fell in love with Easton, Angus, Miss Potter, and even Denton. Alex is such an interesting character, and I really enjoyed reading about the Gallacian culture. The parts about different pronouns in Gallacia were such an interesting part of worldbuilding, and I hope we find out more in the following books!
The Gothic setting, as well as the eerie aesthetic and the descriptions of the fungi and the lake were amazing. The style of writing really worked for me, too, and fit the creepiness of the story well. Everything was a little bit predictable, that is true, however, that didn't take away from me enjoying the journey.
It's been more than a decade since I've read The Fall of the House of Usher, but reading What Moves the Dead not only made me want to re-read it, but also managed to remind me how much I enjoyed the whole story.
What Moves the Dead left me wanting to read more about Easton and kan adventures, so I already can't wait to read What Feasts at Night and What Stalks the Deep!
Despite the novella being quite short, the author managed to make me care about all of the characters, and I instantly fell in love with Easton, Angus, Miss Potter, and even Denton. Alex is such an interesting character, and I really enjoyed reading about the Gallacian culture. The parts about different pronouns in Gallacia were such an interesting part of worldbuilding, and I hope we find out more in the following books!
The Gothic setting, as well as the eerie aesthetic and the descriptions of the fungi and the lake were amazing. The style of writing really worked for me, too, and fit the creepiness of the story well. Everything was a little bit predictable, that is true, however, that didn't take away from me enjoying the journey.
It's been more than a decade since I've read The Fall of the House of Usher, but reading What Moves the Dead not only made me want to re-read it, but also managed to remind me how much I enjoyed the whole story.
What Moves the Dead left me wanting to read more about Easton and kan adventures, so I already can't wait to read What Feasts at Night and What Stalks the Deep!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, War, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Classism