I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher Published by NIghtfire on July 12 2022
Genres: Adult, Gothic, Horror
Pages: 176
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: A creepy and atmospheric retelling that pays homage to the original story while adding many unique elements, What Moves the Dead induces both laughter and dread, often in the same paragraph.
“The mushroom’s gills were the deep-red color of severed muscle, the almost-violet shade that contrasts so dreadfully with the pale pink of viscera. I had seen it any number of times in dead deer and dying soldiers, but it startled me to see it here.”
T. Kingfisher proves once more what a consistently good writer and storyteller she is. Not only does she have complete command over the 176 pages of her latest novella, a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher, but she’s managed to successfully combine horror and humor in the most remarkable way, which doesn’t really surprise me because she did the same thing with The Hollow Places and The Twisted Ones. Creepy, atmospheric and extremely unsettling, What Moves the Dead is another winner for Kingfisher fans, and a great place to start if you’ve yet to try this brilliant author.
Retired Lieutenant Alex Easton receives a disturbing letter one day from an old friend, Madeline Usher, who says she is dying and asks Easton to come and visit her. Easton arrives at the Usher mansion and is shocked to see the house and grounds in a terrible state of decay. Even worse is the condition of Madeline and her twin brother Roderick, who both appear emaciated and ill. Roderick’s American friend Denton has also arrived at the mansion and is trying to determine the cause of Madeline’s decline.
With the help of Eugenia Potter, an eccentric mycologist, and Easton’s servant Angus, Easton and Denton are determined to help their friends. But strangeness abounds in the house of Usher and the nearby lake, as the visitors begin to feel trapped by the odd events surrounding Madeline’s illness.
Savvy readers may recognize some of the Gothic details from another popular novel (I won’t mention the name of the book because it’s fun to figure it out on your own). After the first sentence I knew what Kingfisher was paying tribute to, and I thought she did a brilliant job of utilizing some of the same elements but putting her own unique spin on them. She also explains in her Author’s Note why she did this, and by the way, the Author’s Note is definitely worth reading!
There are so many wonderfully bizarre elements in What Moves the Dead, and I don’t want to spoil anything for you so I’ll try to be vague. First of all, fungi and mushrooms play a big part in the story, and I have to say I’ve never seen them used in quite this way, even though I’ve read lots of horror stories involving fungi. And I will never look at hares the same way again ever, lol. If you think of rabbits and hares as sweet, fluffy creatures, then you might want to stay away from this book, as your image of them might be crushed forever. The author uses some well-tread Gothic elements that you’ll be familiar with, like the crumbling house of Usher with its peeling wallpaper, damp rooms and creaky floors. But she also adds some twists, like the nearby tarn (lake) that glows at night. And did I mention the hares?
The story is set in a fictional European country with its own traditions, like the use of seven different sets of pronouns. Children and inanimate objects have their own pronouns (as does God!), and when you join the Gallacian army you become “sworn” and give up your gender and thereafter use different pronouns. Easton, although retired from the military, continues to use the non-binary “ka” and “kan” pronouns.
And it wouldn’t be a T. Kingfisher story without engaging characters. Luckily we get a bunch of good ones in this story, including Easton’s servant Angus, who is simply delightful. Eugenia Potter is wonderful as well (and is the fictional aunt of someone you might recognize!) I loved the playful banter between the characters, especially with an American in the mix, which leads to lots of wryly funny jokes. Kingfisher’s prose is polished and elegant and perfectly suited for a Gothic mystery like this.
Some of the descriptions of the fungi and the hares are gross and disturbing, so do beware if you have a weak stomach. I personally loved every disgusting detail! What Moves the Dead is fairly short and can be read in one sitting. In fact, you probably won’t be able to stop once Kingfisher hooks you with her mesmerizing storytelling skills and atmospheric prose. Highly recommended.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
From the very first time I set eyes on this cover, I knew that it would deal with something weird and scary, although I would not have factored fungi into the mix – which I’m sure enhances the horrific theme of the story. And yet, despite all this, I’m very curious about this book, and your review only increase my curiosity 🙂
Thanks for sharing!!!
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I think you would enjoy this:-)
I think this book is perfect for me!
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…One-Sentence Reviews: My 2nd Quarter 2022 Reads
Me too, Priscilla!
Wonderful review! And you’re so right about the creepy hares — I happened to see a bunny outside the day after finishing the book… and well, let’s just say my first reaction was not “aw, cute!”. I agree about the author’s note, absolutely worth reading.
Ha ha I have yet to see a rabbit in real life but I won’t be looking for them, lol.
Not my genre but Robin loved it too.
Anne – Books of My Heart recently posted… What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
I’ll look out for her review.
Awesome review! I’m so glad you loved it. I can’t wait to get to this one! 🙂
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I hope you love it too!
Every time I read a new review of a Kingfisher book it reminds me how much I want to read nore of her work, especially her adult fiction. So far all I’ve sampled has been middle-grade. I look forward to one day trying this one, and I suspect I’ll do a reread of Poe’s story beforehand. Even without this I’ve been feeling an urge to get back into Poe. It’s been a long while since I’ve read any of his stories and there are still many I’ve yet to try.
I kind of wish I had read Poe’s story first, but now I can go back and read it:-)
Ooooh now I am SO CURIOUS about what Kingfisher does to hares. xD I mean, I assumed it would be *something* based on the cover, but you’ve really got me wondering now! *flails* Now I’m even more excited to read this one. It sounds amazing. I’ll have to try to get my hands on this one soon!
Sammie @ The Bookwyrm’s Den recently posted…A Day in the Life of a Rural Public Librarian
The cover really gives you a big hint;-)
I’m not sure I’m not too much of a wuss for this – still haven’t read Twisted Ones, despite having it for ages!
calypte recently posted…The Book of Gothel – Mary McMyne
The Twisted Ones is a lot of fun:-)
Excellent review! Now, I’m curious as to whether or not this book is creepier than “The Fall of the House of Usher”?!
It’s been a long time since I read the original book, but I can say this was SUPER creepy:-)
Wait. Wait a MINUTE. I didn’t know this was a retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher!?!?! I haven’t read anything by this author yet but a friend was just gushing about her and I’m waiting for a library hold to come in for The Hollow Places. This has been added to my TBR with great urgency.
Kal @ Reader Voracious recently posted…The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling: a claustrophobic psychological thriller
I hope you get to read it soon!
I read the original Poe story a while ago, think I’ll have a re-read before I read this as from memory it was pretty short. I like a good retelling and this sounds very good. I’m intrigued about what the other popular book you mentioned is too, and whether it might be one I’ve read.
Pages and Tea recently posted…Book Review: The Hollows by Mark Edwards
The more I hear about this one, the more I want to try it. Actually all Kingfisher’s books sound good to me, but I’ve been cautious since being disappointed by the Twisted Ones, which started out really good.
I do so love the sound of this one and your review makes me even more curious.
Lynn 😀