I think I would read T Kingfisher describe paint drying.

One thing is certain, I'm always captured by the words they write. Sometimes atmospheric and others thrilling, I haven't been disappointed yet. The setting is eerie with a sense of dread just around every corner!

I think Poe would be proud of this retelling!

The summary really says it best; When Easton receives word that childhood friend, Madeline, is dying - the only option is to head to the isolated estate. What they find is dark, mysterious and all together a bit spooky. Possessed wildlife, a glowing pulsing lake, sleepwalking and an interesting fungal growth. Unraveling the secrets of the house becomes pressing...

i received a digital ARC of this novel from netgalley and i am so beyond thrilled that i did.

t. kingfisher sat down one day and thought “hey what if i take a story that’s already great and add a bunch of new characters, lore, and answers to make it 100x better?” and then did it. and it was fantastic.

“what moves the dead” is a retelling of the classic, “the fall of the house of usher” by EAP. but when i say retelling i mean it very loosely. if you’ve read the original story you’ll know most of what’s going to happen, but all of the new additions make this books so damn charming!

the new characters outside of the original cast of 3 brought so much to the table in terms of storytelling. alex easton, our new narrator, was fantastically charming and shared so much of ka’s clever nature with the reader that it often felt like i was reading ka’s journal.

notice the last paragraph. kingfisher, in all of her amazing brilliance, modernized this story in such a unique way by implementing sets of alternative pronouns (ka/kan and va/van) and subgroups of society existing outside of gender, each with their own history and linguistic specifications. these details, as well as all of the other bits of culture hidden in this otherwise daunting story, prove just how much passion kingfisher has for this world she‘s inhabiting. and i love her for it!!

ok i’m done now. this was amazing. fantastic. perfection. i am obsessed and will never stop talking about this.

I was hooked by the very first paragraph of this retelling of the classic Poe tale "The Fall of the House of Usher. As T. Kingfisher points out in her Author's Note, the original "The Fall of the House of Usher" is really a short story, albeit one that has been made larger than life by the cinema. I took a short pause while reading WHAT MOVES THE DEAD to re-read Poe's original, and I found it more difficult to read than I remembered. While WHAT MOVES THE DEAD captures some of the language of gothic romanticism, for which Poe is known, it reads more in line with what modern readers have come to expect.

Where Poe leaves us with many questions, Kingfisher provides answers. Who is the narrator? That's easy… Alex Easton. We learn just who the Usher's visitor is and his relationship to both Roderick and Madeline. I would add a point of personal privilege here… Easton refers to Madeline Usher, throughout the book, as Maddy. Although my own first name is spelled differently, I too am Maddy, though many insist I am Maddie. It was refreshing to see my nickname spelled the way I spell it. But I digress. Then there is the fungus. In WHAT MOVES THE DEAD, we meet Eugenia Potter, amateur British mycologist, thus unrecognized by the Mycology Society for being of the fair sex. I have to say, the unflappable Miss Potter is my favorite character. With Madeline so ill, and Roderick not doing much better, we meet the American doctor, James Denton. Finally, there is the memorable Hob, Easton's horse.

T. Kingfisher has put meat on the bone of Poe's original short story without depriving it of the atmospheric horror with which we are all familiar. The House of Usher, the tarn, and the pervading gloom surrounding them remain as chilling as ever.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher was one of my most highly anticipated reads and I can't believe I got lucky enough to be approved for it on NetGalley. Before this, I had never read anything from T. Kingfisher but I was totally sold as soon as I heard that this was a reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. I love that story and this did a fantastic job of putting an awesomely disturbing and unsettling new spin on the story. I enjoyed getting to know Alex, but my favorite aspect was easily the setting and the gothic atmosphere. The atmosphere is so thick you can almost taste it. I know that sounds weird, but I definitely mean it as a good thing. After finishing this story, I know that I'll absolutely need to read everything that T. Kingfisher has ever written and will write.

I am really sad about this one. I felt like this book, while so short, dragged so much. I know there were parts in here that were meant to scare me or be really creepy, but I just didn't care about what was going on in the story unfortunately. I was really looking forward to it because of the retelling aspect, but it just wasn't for me I guess.

This book what exactly what I thought it would be when I looked at the cover and found out that it was a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher — creepy, atmospheric, gothic, and cool. You’ll never look at mushrooms the same way after reading this, and it was ALMOST enough to make me want to read more horror. Yikes! In a good way.

There are plenty of books that have been rewritten or adapted in various ways and with varying levels of quality in the last many decades (especially works by authors like Lovecraft and Poe) and while one would expect that there were few ways to have another go at producing another take on The Fall of the House of Usher, this one was particularly satisfying and original. Here we 're given a lovely non -binary Alex Easton, a wise mycology enthusiast, a genuine reason for the illness that dwells in the Usher manor, a delightful but never overbearing hint of humor, and a more satisfying conclusion for the gothic classic. Don't pass this one up!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan/Tor-Forge for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. I kind of went into this one blind, since I've never read anything by Edgar Allan Poe and this was said to be a retelling of his book, "The Fall of the House of Usher."
This is my first book by T. Kingfisher. Kingfisher's writing was very descriptive and mysterious. I really enjoyed the characters, especially Alex Easton. Alex is gender-queer and has very different pronouns. I enjoyed the creepiness because I like creepy books! I felt like I could picture everything in my mind perfectly as Kingfisher wrote it. The secret of the House of Usher was captivating and horrifying. I've never read a book like this before. Kingfisher's writing was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

"𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬."

I honestly cannot remember if I read The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe back in middle school when we had a section on him. Despite What Moves the Dead being a retelling of the classic horror short story, it felt new to me.

This story was a perfect mixture of the grotesque, unexpected yet greatly appreciated humor, and chilling creepiness. The writing was incredibly immersive and stimulated all of my senses.

Despite the novel being under 200 pages, all of the characters were extraordinary! They all had an essential part to play and I really enjoyed getting to know each of their personalities.

The mycology, the Beatrix Potter tie-in, the sassy animal companion, it all worked for me. Also, look at that cover! The cover art is sublime and becomes all the more intriguing and insightful once you've finished the book. I went out and bought myself a physical copy of this book because I needed it.

I've already requested The Hollow Places from my library because I am eager to read more by this author.

Thank you Tor Nightfire & NetGalley for this e-ARC. What Moves The Dead is out NOW!

I give What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher 4.25 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌠

I can truthfully say that this retelling of The House of Usher is one of the creepiest, most unsettling books I've ever read. I loved this book, could not put it down, and now I'm hoping I never see a rabbit staring at me. Or a pulsing lake. The setting is on the moors in Ruritania (a fictional country somewhere in Europe).

Alex Easton, a soldier, has received word that a childhood friend is dying and travels as fast as he can to the House of Usher. When he arrives, Alex finds that Roderick and Madeline are much changed from the last time they were together. Both are very pale and frail, but Madeline is much worse. They have an American doctor also staying with them, and he is baffled by Madeline's condition. The whole house is unhealthy - damp with fungus growing everywhere, even the carpets. The environment outside is no better. Madeline is also walking and talking in her sleep, but she doesn't sound like herself.

I loved the characters in this book. Alex Easton was born a woman and joined the military in his country of Gallacia as a sworn soldier, which means that he is treated like a man and also dresses like every other soldier. Because of that, I have referred to Alex as he/him because his country's language for gender is complicated. His horse Hob has a mind of his own and his own way of expressing his opinions. Another favorite character is an older English woman staying near the House of Usher who - fortunately for Alex - has a passion for studying molds and fungus.

My thanks to the publisher Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for an advance reading copy. It was a pleasure to read and review this book.

Note to publisher: Amazon finally accepted this review on 7/26/2022..

I think to take on a retelling of Poe, especially a beloved tale of Poe is a bold move. But I freaking loved this! I did purchase this as a physical copy and the little extra touches Tor Nightfire put into the copy was ::chef’s kiss::. I love this mix of body horror, supernatural elements, and murder mystery. The dynamic and relationship between all the characters was perfect for the storyline. It’s a short book and I only wish it was longer just so I could stay in this world just a little bit longer. This will be a favorite for years to come and I will be re-reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Though this novella is only 176 pages long, it still felt too long. There were many things I liked; primarily the setting, Madeline, the creepy hares and Hob, the horse. There were some truly spooky moments, however, Kingfisher just never took the story to its full potential. I also felt this way about Nettle & Bone.

Her stories walk the line between Young Adult and Adult in a way that leaves me dissatisfied. There’s not enough grit, drama, tension and in the case of this story, horror. Though this is only a novella, it took me a week to read it because while I didn’t hate it, I was bored for the first 60%. I was especially bored with the main protagonist, Alex Easton. Easton was simply one of those characters that I found to be annoying. She spent a good bit of time trying to be funny but the humor never worked for me.

I think I would have enjoyed this story more if it was edited down. There were many conversations that didn’t seem to add anything to the plot. If those would have been cut out and the spookiness amped up, this could have been a winner.

In this retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher, T. Kingfisher crafts a creepy, unsettling, and unique atmosphere. The Usher house and its surroundings drew me in immediately and unsettled me without knowing exactly how. I love every second of it. This novella is worth the read and exhibits the talent of the author.

There seems to be an emerging trend of mushroom horror quite literally creeping into the genre recently, from The Luminous Dead to Mexican Gothic. It’s a trend I’m totally onboard with and What Moves the Dead completely embraces these elements with T.Kingfisher’s take on The Fall of the House of Usher. With her characteristic tendency to highlight LGBT characters in her stories without making them specifically an “issues” book, she truly managed to do something different with such a renowned text in the genre.

I think those looking for more subtlety in their horror will hit a sweet spot with What Moves the Dead, because it focuses so much more on the atmosphere and growing sense of unease the narrator is wrought with upon their visit to the eponymous house. It doesn’t depict much gore, which isn’t to say the imagery itself that is presented is not disturbing. I know I will be dreaming about white filaments reanimating corpses for a long time yet to come, and Kingfisher really nailed these brief but extraordinary moments of unsettling fungal horror.

What I did find lacking here is the same general things that tend to bother me about novellas - condensed character work into a very short page count. For horror, where the story often needs the time to build the necessary sense of dread and suspense, I think Kingfisher’s tendency to write novellas doesn’t always serve her stories to their greatest potential. But overall a fantastic retelling, one I’d highly recommend reading closer to the months of autumn as a chill creeps into the air and things begin to rot.

Thank you to the publisher Tor Nightfire for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

House of Usher Felled by Fungi

Edgar Allan Poe’s short Gothic mystery, “The Fall of the House of Usher,” gets another grand retelling in T. Kingfisher’s, “What Moves the Dead,” as pulsing, light-emitting, miasmic spores of toxic mold infest a mountain lake and the ancestral home of siblings, Madeline and Roderick Usher.

In Kingfisher’s tale, when family friend, Alex Easton, visits the House of Usher after receiving a letter from Madeline stating that she is ill, he finds her a cadaverous, bone-chilling walking skeleton; Roderick a paranoid and delusional shadow of his former self; and their ancient family estate a nightmarish moldering ruin.

This fun, phantasmagoria expands on Poe’s original tale to offer an alternative theory on the maladies, madness, and misfortunes leading to the decline and ultimate destruction of the House of Usher.

# # #

My sincere thanks and appreciation goes to NetGalley, Author T. Kingfisher, and Publishers Macmillian-Tor/Forge and Tor Nightfire for this Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC) for review.

“What Moves the Dead”
Author T. Kingfisher
General Fiction (Adult) | Horror | Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Publication Date 12 July 2022
Macmillian-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire Publishers
The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fantastic. A creative take on a classic story. Very disgusting eco-horror. I've already ordered a physical copy and will be recommending it.

What Moves The Dead is inspired by The House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe. While I haven't read the orginal source material I found this quite enjoyable.

This was some spooky shit.
Like
Spooky spooky shit

Alex Easton gets a letter from his childhood friend Madeline Usher. She's ill and dying so they go to visit her. Early on they realize everything isn't right and something is wrong with the lake.

Overall really good. The atmosphere was really interesting and it gave me the creeps in a good way

A recall on Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” we meet Alex a solider returning home after word his friend Madeline is dying. When they both find some weird fungus at her house, weird spooky things start to happen.

I like the take of reimagining of Poe’s work. It’s weirder and original and takes on that horror aspect to a whole new level. The house and characters are on a whole new level that has me up all night devouring it. The characters and setting were an added bonus.

If you’re looking for a creepy read to keep you up all night and have you wanting more, look no further. I will take more T. Kingfisher please!!!!

What Moves the Dead is a novella retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher. We follow Alex as he is summoned to the Usher home by his friend, Madeline, because she thinks she is about to die. Things are not right at the Usher home. As you can guess from the cover, there are strange things going on involving fungus and hares.

I love Poe and have read a lot of his work, so I was excited to pick up this retelling. Unfortunately, I just found this novella okay.

Well, this was absolutely disturbing, creepy and atmospheric despite how short the story is. I liked the retelling aspects of this as well even if I am not super familiar with the story being retold.