A review by ristretto
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

What Feasts at Night is the follow up novella to What Moves the Dead. (Which, fun fact, still makes me shudder whenever I look at or think about mushrooms!) Alex Easton and Angus arrive a hunting lodge in Gallacia with Miss Potter on the way to meet them there to visit and study the local mycology. But the caretaker is missing, the locals are clearly avoiding them and there are whispers of superstitions and local folklore in the air.

Right away the T. Kingfisher sets the mood and atmosphere and I’m instantly transported back into this world and feeling completely uneasy about it, in a good way. Fittingly the book has a more dreamlike vibe to it than the first but keeps Kingfisher’s signature humor. Lines between past and present, and nightmare and reality, blur. The exploration or trauma and the war experience and sense of time and place was really interesting and I really loved the folklore aspects of the story as well. This is a slower reveal but when the horror elements hit, they hit! I really enjoyed reading this and it made me want to read the first book again; I really hope there will be more to come in the future.

A perfect autumn/winter read that suits a chilly dark overcast day. Recommended for lovers of atmospheric horror with folktale vibes!

I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for a copy of this book.