This was so freaking good and so gross and eww I hate fungus. A perfect retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher. In my initial Goodreads review I included a quote from the Wikipedia entry on Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the fungus that infects a certain species of ant, uses their dead host body to drive the ants to a location ideal for spreading more fungus. It's brought up in one of the Planet Earth episodes from years ago, and I honestly had to turn it off because it weirded me out so much. And this is immediately what I thought of when I figured out what was happening in What Moves the Dead. Anyway, probably my favorite T. Kingfisher novel thus far. Incredibly well done.

From Cemetery Dance Review by Haley Newlin

The dead don’t walk.

There is a place secluded by an untenable smog, a 30-foot drop lake, and shrouded with acrimonious fungi. Some say it is the place the devils dance on moors. Others say at this ancestral residence, The House of Usher, they can hear the worms in the earth, craving flesh.

T. Kingfisher’s What Moves the Dead follows Alex Easton, a retired soldier, who journeys to The House of Usher after receiving word that their childhood friend, Madeline Usher, is dying. Upon arrival, Easton discovers that Madeline’s illness is far more severe and gruesome than they ever imagined. Madeline and her brother, Roderick, possess an unearthly appearance, with bone-colored flesh, eyes deep hollows, and their frames frail. The Ushers looked like walking corpses.

But “the dead don’t walk,” Easton reminds themselves repeatedly.

What Moves the Dead is an expert reimagination of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” integrating some of the most haunting and memorable elements of the classic gothic tale. Kingfisher resurrected the knocking from the crypt, the misogynistic “hysteria” diagnosis, and the nightmarish fungal growth but still made this book a unique horror story.

What truly separates — rather, elevates — Poe’s original story is Kingfisher’s likable characters, from the aspiring British mycologist, Miss Potter, Easton’s batman, Angus, and even Easton’s horse, Hob. I’ve heard Kingfisher is known for making outstanding, strong-headed animal companion characters, and after reading What Moves the Dead, I wouldn’t doubt it.

Possibly, that charming quality allowed the author to create such disturbing, sickly, and memorable animals on the Usher property, particularly the hares, as well. I would argue the hares are one of the most memorable and bothersome images in What Moves the Dead.

Contrary to the typical hare nature, the ones at The House of Usher don’t scurry away at the slightest movement or even gunfire. Instead, they linger. They stare with a dead gaze. And they walk in circles, trailing one leg behind themselves.

I won’t give too much away here, but how this detail comes together, with the help of the American doctor, Denton, and Miss Potter, feels like an ode to a leading trope in the zeitgeist of gothic horror. Poe would be proud.

I do wish the climax received more page time. The build of What Moves the Dead feels like a growing itch you can’t scratch, eyes you sense behind you but don’t see when you turn around. It’s nagging, twisted, and such a surreal delight.

Furthermore, Kingfisher managed to answer so many questions Poe left unearthed or the elements he left only partially crafted. I couldn’t help but imagine his work as a halfling creature who escapes Dr. Frankenstein, still shy of his empathy and compassion. And that’s what Poe was really missing — the heart.

Kingfisher’s Afterward says of “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “He [Poe] devotes more words to the fungal emanations than he does to Madeline.”

In What Moves the Dead, you mourn for Roderick, somewhat understanding his reactionary, violent slip-up. You wish the head of the Usher House recovery and pray the illness doesn’t reach the others. You ache for Easton’s constant run-ins with PTSD, or battle nerves, as they call it, and hope it, in some way, will be their angel at the table.

If Poe had given us just a bit more character depth, more explanation behind the illness befallen the House of Usher, and some gender queerness, he would’ve had the gothic, spine-chilling brilliance T. Kingfisher has achieved here.

An absolute must-read for fans of Roger Corman films, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic, and readers of Edgar Allan Poe.

I hope authors like T.Kingsfisher, continue reframing classic works, adding in a dose of heart, kickass queer characters, and more scare!

Horror can be a hit or miss depending on the genre. If anything I'm feeling more icky and itchy and I'm not even that big of a germaphobe.

"What Moves the Dead" by T. Kingfisher is a chilling and suspenseful horror retelling of the classic Edgar Allan Poe tale, "The Fall of the House of Usher".

Set in modern times, the novel follows Alex Easton, a soldier who is called back to the Usher family's decaying estate. As they attempts to unravel the mysteries surrounding the family, Alex is drawn into a world of supernatural terror that threatens to consume them.

Kingfisher's writing is atmospheric and evocative, creating a sense of dread that permeates throughout the narrative. The pacing is slow and deliberate, allowing the tension to build to a crescendo as the story unfolds.

The novella also explores themes of family, legacy, and the impact of the past on the present. Kingfisher's skillful use of foreshadowing and symbolism adds layers of meaning to the story, making it more than just a simple horror retelling.

While the novel may not be for everyone, especially those who are easily frightened, "What Moves the Dead" is a masterful horror retelling that is sure to appeal to fans of the genre. Kingfisher's skillful storytelling and attention to detail make this book a must-read for horror enthusiasts and fans of Poe's original work.

A creative retelling of “Fall of the House of Usher” with a twist reminiscent of “Mexican Gothic”. Though not too unique, this is a fun, horror novel to curl up with on a cold, stormy night. Recommended for fans of Poe and those in love with the trend of monsters that are… of the mushroom variety.

What Moves the Dead is a short read based on Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. This book starts off relatively slow and doesn't pick up pace until the end. I gave it 3/5 stars because I desired more of the base story line than character development and feedback.

An enjoyable read chock full of atmosphere. Great prose and dialog kept me invested and entertained.

T. Kingfisher has really interesting takes on classic horror, and this was fantastic. Poe couldn’t have done better himself.

I quite liked this novella, I have to say it was one of my most satisfying horror reads of the year. Kingfisher really did a very good job picking up all the elements of The Fall of the House of Usher and turning them into something familiar but also very new. Think family friend coming to visit because they receive a letter that an old friend is dying. Now add into that animals behaving strangely and fungus.

It was just layers of horror that was satisfyingly creepy. Once the plot really started going into the horror aspect of the book, it didn’t let up. Though the author did include a bit of humor interspersed that helped to cut the tension at times. Kingfisher also did an amazing job of taking little things that were mentioned in the very short original story and making them into a novella that can entirely stand by itself.

Even though I did really enjoy this book as a whole, I must say that the end was a bit anti-climactic. The “final stand off” I guess you’d call it, happened off site so we never saw what actually happened which was kind of disappointing.

But all and all it was very good. It was a fantastic idea for a novella and very well executed at that. If you want to read a uniquely creepy short story, this is the one to pick. You don’t have to know anything about the original short story to read and understand the plot.

From the very creepy intro, this author’s writing style is exceptional from beginning to end. It’s a very good story that grabbed me the moment I started reading with a solid, old-school style approach. I got so many medieval and Gothic vibes all throughout which I genuinely enjoyed. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything for you but my goodness, I will never look at mold, mushrooms, or rabbits the same ever again. SO GOOD!

This one is almost too creepy to describe! But I enjoyed every flinching moment of it. Kingfisher truly has a talent for taking the spooky factor to brand new levels.

Every year I have students that become obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe and I'm always looking for modern retellings that would make his work more accessible to them, which is why I was so excited to get my hands on What Moves the Dead.

T. Kingfisher has been long on my list of authors to read and now that I have dipped my toe in, I have to read everything they have ever written. The setting was gloomy and damp, the images were dream-worthy. I will carry this one with me for quite some time. It's so refreshing to read someone who writes well, by that I mean, they are able to balance plot/pacing and solid writing. The dark humor and creepiness, everything worked so well together. I will be recommending this to my students and friends alike.

What Moves the Dead is a wonderful re-imagining of Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. A well written gothic horror/thriller with excellent world building. For fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy as well as Mexican Gothic and Edgar Allen Poe.

What a way of twisting and giving dimension to one of Poe's most famous short stories. I deeply appreciated it and can't stop thinking about it. This book is perfect for those who enjoyed Mexican Gothic, and those who've watched and enjoyed The Last of Us.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to have access to this story.

This one just didn't do it for me for some reason.

I've read The Fall of the House of Usher, but it's been so long ago that I have no memory of it. I don't know if remembering that story would have improved the book or not.

I couldn't quite get a read on the mood the author was trying to set. On the one hand, creepy dying girl who might be possessed. On the other hand, stiff-upper-lipped English lady and Scottish valet who have a cute crush on each other. On the one hand, creepy creeper rabbits that creep and horrifying fish. On the other, cute horse and dry wit from our main character.

It could also be that I'm not fond of horror that emphasizes death and decay. The entire setting of this book, theoretically, could have been infectious for all of the characters, and that grossed me out. It could also have made the entire story utterly hopeless, which again is weird with the humor that kept cropping up. In a novella, it's hard to get the mix of humor and horror right without it feeling off kilter.

I'm also not sure about why the author decided to invent a new country and a new gender for the book. It was mildly interesting but again took up some space in a novella that made the whole work seem cramped. And it didn't make any difference to the plot. This was already solidly speculative fiction with the giant sentient fungus being involved.

In the end, the author pulled her punches. And I didn't enjoy the ride through the fungus that smothered the whole book. I think I like this author's fantasy better than her horror.

Retelling of Edgar Allen Poe? SIGN ME UP. Also who would not want this cover in their collection. It’s the perfect complement to the gothic vibes of this novella. Would recommend to my fellow lovers of the weird/fantasy/gothic/horror/sci-fi world.

I have never read the original story that this book was based one so here are my thought upon reading this story for the first time.

The setting was lush and gothic. The author just made you feel like you were in a damp, old, crumbling castle from the way that they described everything. The moors and the creepy ambience of the outside world were done so well that at one point I had to put the book down because I was creeped out.

The creepy rabbits 🐇 gave off the someone is always watching you vibes.

The narrative is only from the perspective of Alex, so you experience things as they do. It’s a great way to tell the story, especially this type of story. I could have done without the war backstory but did like the exploration of gender.

The big reveal of what is really going on here was so well done and creepy that I actually shivered. It’s one of those things that makes your skin crawl.

I think upon re-read, this book might become a five star read. I think the first time you read it there is so much going on that unless you’ve read the original source material, you won’t full appreciate what this book accomplishes in so few pages.

That cover, am I right? A haunting creepy-crawly tale, What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher is just what a Poe retelling needs to be. I’ve never read anything by Kingfisher, but if this was any indication of their other works, sign me up. What Moves the Dead creates a new interpretation of what really happened in “The Fall of the House of Usher.”

Writing
It has been a while since I’ve read “The Fall of the House of Usher” so I did not feel too drawn to make comparisons, which I think is generally for the better with retellings. Kingfisher has such a vivid writing style that just adds an eerie Poe-esque feel to this retelling. While What Moves the Dead does have a gothic feel, Kingfisher still includes a good amount of clever humor in the narration and dialogue. Beyond it being a novella, it does not take much to get sucked up in this story and experience the horror. I listened to it as an audiobook, but I do plan on reading it as well to see how that might change the experience.

Characters
Kingfisher introduces new characters to the story, which I think greatly adds to the book overall. You have the two siblings as in the original tale, but also the main character, who is a family friend, a doctor, I guess also a family friend, and a friendly neighborhood scientist. I just love Miss. Potter, the excentric mycologist (but honestly, what mycologist isn’t a little eccentric). The characters were well developed and didn’t feel like needless additions to get more words on the page.

Overall
I would certainly suggest anyone who likes gothic horror, Edgar Allen Poe, mushrooms, you name it, to read What Moves the Dead. It felt like a new take on Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” without getting too far away or leaning too heavily on it. And if you’ve not already, join me in checking out more of T. Kingfisher’s work!

This novella retelling of Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher starts off pretty closely to the original story, but deviates along the way to give the tale its own flair. Ever since reading Mexican Gothic, horror + mushrooms has been an immediate yes for me, and they add a lot of interest to this story in a similar way.

After reading Kingfisher’s work The Hollow Places I was expecting something a touch darker but still immensely enjoyed this and read it in a single sitting.

So creepy and unsettling! (Meant as the highest compliment!) I felt like I was right there in the House of Usher and got goosebumps during some of the more grotesque scenes. I was first drawn in by the beautiful and strange cover and once I started reading, the story sucked me in as well and I finished it quickly because I couldn’t put it down!