Ok, I’ll say it: I’m really struggling to get on board with the current trend of fungi-based horror.

I just…mushrooms? Really?

Anyway, T. Kingfisher brings us mushroom terror meets The Fall of the House of Usher here, which was…fine as a concept, although plot wise it’s a fairly literal interpretation, which (combined with the villain being, um, fungi) really tamped down the suspense.

I do love Kingfisher‘a ability to write horror books that are creepy without being gratuitous and grotesque, and this one meets that criteria as well as the rest.

And while the short length of the book is nice in some ways, it deprives us of a chance to really get to know the characters, which tend to be one of the best things about Kingfisher’s novels.

The setting was well-rendered, and certainly reminiscent of Poe. Part of me wonders if this might actually be a better read if you haven’t read the story that inspired it, but maybe I was just put off by all the goofy fungi stuff.

I had never read The Fall of the House of Usher, so I now need to! I was a Biology major and really like the horror genre so this was a perfect quick read for me. I enjoyed that it was mostly fast-paced and they did a great job keeping me on my toes. Its interesting to read how the fungi infected the lake water and anything that touched it became infected too. I wonder how many animals besides the fish and hare's also became infected. Scary to think that fungi could inhabit your body and take over the world!

3 for neutral, was unable to access my netgalley account for months, until today. Because of this, I was unable to see which books I needed to read. I apologize for the inconvenience and hopefully will not have any more issues in future.

I received an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What Moves the Dead is a re-imagining of The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe. The atmosphere of the story is spooky and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The author makes you interested in the characters. It's a great retelling of the EAP story and I recommend it to all EAP and horror fans!

Alex Easton receives a letter from his old childhood friend Madeline stating that she is dying and he should come. Feeling the pull of old friendship, he rides his faithful horse Hob the distance to reach the House of Usher where Madeline lives. He is astounded by the condition of the once elegant home, the strange behavior of the wild life, and the eerie mountain lake in front of the estate. Madeline is an absolute ghost, a shell of the girl Alex remembers so fondly. Strange behaviors and creepy hairs growing from her body are also a grave concern. Alex must understand what is causing her sickness before it's too late.

Apparently this is a nod to The House of Usher which admittedly I've never read. I did find it creepy, eerie, and interesting enough to keep the pages turning and fulfill my desire for a Halloween read. Less ghosts than.....ick in this one, but still fun and super quick. I did feel like the ending was a bit abrupt but I otherwise enjoyed it. Perfect quick read for folks who want to dip their toe in the murky waters of gore but not be full on disgusted.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review!

I love T. Kingfisher and have devoured each of her books that retell a classic horror story. I was incredibly excited for What Moves the Dead and Kingfisher's take on Edgar Allan Poe, only to find myself disappointed. While I did enjoy Alex Easton and found them to be a well thought out character, their backstory in a fictional country was confusing and unnecessary. I loved that they were a non-binary and non-binary people exist in history, why create a whole country to justify this character's identity? The inclusion of Beatrix Potter's Aunt also felt random. I found that much of the plot began to feel redundant, probably because Poe's original story isn't that long and so much of What Moves the Dead read like filler. Most fans of Kingfisher will probably enjoy this book, but I'm not sure fans of Poe will. My favorite part, were the pictures of the end pages and the cover art. The illustrators are fantastic.

One of my favorite horrors of the 2022 season! T. Kingfisher consistently delivers compact horror novellas. Based on Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher", this novella has all the creepy gothic vibes. As the cover indicate, horrifying rabbits play a big part!

DNF’ing at 35%. I just can’t bring myself to pick this one back up.

I will say it lives up to the retelling; it just isn’t for me.

This was a very good retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher. I really liked the exploration of the “why” and the horror of something so small as fungi.

This was a fantastic spooky read! A reimagining of The Fall of the House of Usher by Poe, What Moves the Dead is the perfect blend of anticipation, creepy imagery, and a vibe that will make your hair stand on end! I loved everything about this book, and I expected no less from T. KIngfisher. I enjoyed the snark and humor of the characters, along with the gothic energy. The disgusting descriptions were amazing! If you love creepy stories, this one is a necessity!

Most of the time I spent reading What Moves the Dead I could only think of one thing; that it is so similar to Mexican Gothic in its use of fungus/mold as the antagonist. Due to this, I actually had trouble focusing on the actual story T. Kingfisher was telling. Thus I wish that the Authors Note was at the front of the book, instead of the back, as in it Kingfisher admits the similarities to the amazing Mexican Gothic, as well she notes the differences and how a fungus/mold can be dangerous and sentient (if you will) in different ways. I think going in knowing that Kingfisher was aware of Silvia Morena-Garcia’s amazing novel would have helped me enjoy the story more. I’m a bit defensive of fellow Canadians (such as Morena-Garcia) as it’s just a bit tougher for us to get published and gain a huge following as our counterparts to the south and even in the UK.

All that said this is a solid story. I’d say it wasn’t quite as scary as I had hoped for. I didn’t have the shivers too many times and the atmosphere in general just didn’t hold the creepiness I like in a horror story. I think that’s because our leading lady is very pragmatic about the situation (and maybe because I was too fixed on the similarities to Mexican Gothic). Although I did find myself repeating (as I went to bed one night) ‘the dead don’t walk’ as a bit of a mantra and reassurance.

The most interesting part of the entire novel for me is actually not relevant to the main plot, that is Kingfisher’s explanation, early on, of the multiple types of pronouns used in this society. I wish we could adopt something like it for our own!! Instead of just male and female, there is a gender neutral/non-binary pronoun and even a pronoun just for soldiers (regardless of gender). I do wish more was said and explored about a character that would lack gender (literally as it’s not human); but at least the acknowledgement and handling of pronouns was done. That felt like a huge step forward and I can’t wait to tell my non-binary friend about it later today when I see them!

Overall the length felt appropriate, not too short nor too long, to tell the story and get to know the characters. While it wasn’t jump scary or all that chilling for me; What Moves the Dead was certainly well written, the plot organized sufficiently, and the characters real enough. I look forward to reading some of Kingfisher’s past novels (she has two prior) to see if I can enjoy her writing better when I’m not obsessed with defending Mexican Gothic against what I’m reading.
I do really appreciate Kingfisher telling everyone to go read Mexican Gothic however. I too will echo that statement; but I wouldn’t dissuade anyone from reading What Moves the Dead. Just know that it will feel very reminiscent with the use of mold/fungus as the unusual antagonist of each situation.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

This was super weird. I…. liked it? It was unusual. I haven’t read the Poe story that it was based on, but I’d love to, especially now. It was an enjoyable (weird) read but not necessarily one I’d recommend.

3.5 - An enjoyable, albeit it predictable retelling of Fall of the House of Usher featuring a whole lot of fungus! The strength of this novella lies in the atmosphere - you can feel the damp, smell the rot, and see the grotesque fungus. While not the most horrific book, it’s definitely unsettling and a little creepy.

An interesting and dark horror retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher. This story brings a fresh approach to horror with a nonbinary protagonist in a crumbling house thick with threatening illness and rot. The invented world pays homage while also creating an entirely new atmosphere. I really loved the nuances of the creepy story that plays out here, especially while experiencing the horrors through the eyes of Alex. If you're looking for eerie fungi, walking corpses, and decaying mansions, this book is the perfect choice.

Did you read (and love) The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe? Then perhaps you would be interested in hearing about What Moves the Dead, a creative retelling of the story – in a very visceral way.

Madeline Usher is dying. When the news finally makes its way to Alex Easton, they rush to her bedside as quickly as possible. Only when they arrive at Madeline's ancestral home do they find...not everything as it should be.

There's a secret in the House of Usher. A secret full of rot, decay, and nightmares. It will take the help of an unexpected ally for Alex to survive – let alone solve this mystery and save their friend.

“People get hung up on happiness and joy, but fun will take you at least as far and it's generally cheaper to obtain.”

With What Moves the Dead, I have officially read three T. Kingfisher books. And I'm already prepared to say this: T. Kingfisher is a genius. I love everything she writes and will be making a point of reading everything in her backlog and keeping up to date on all new releases. I'm hooked.

I've seen a few Edgar Allen Poe retellings over the years (usually in graphic novel format), but I've never seen anything like this. It made an already visceral and haunting tale (The Fall of the House of Usher) more...everything. It's borderline too much; it's so well done.

On that note, What Moves the Dead is not a read for everyone. It gets graphic at times, as one might expect. However, the unique twists and compelling writing style were enough to get me through the worst of it. Hopefully, other readers will feel the same way!

To say that What Moves the Dead is a visceral read would almost be an understatement. The complexity of this tale is unsurpassed. The characters are rich and intense, carefully crafted to change and morph throughout the tale. Then there's the atmosphere, which is so heavy that it may as well have been an additional character. It's brilliant.

Once again, I am blown away by T. Kingfisher's writing. I was so surprised by how much I loved What Moves the Dead – and I went into it expecting to fall in love. If you adore creative retellings, please give this one a try.

'What Moves the Dead,' by T. Kingfisher is a take on Edgar Allen Poe's, 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' It is gothic and creepy, as to be expected. A beautiful homage to the source. A quick read, more novella than novel, that Poe and horror fans should not miss!

Because this cover is so rad and sold me immediately - I had no idea this one was a reimagining of The Fall of the House of Usher by Poe until I started noticing some similarities while reading - and what an awesome and fun surprise!

So creepy and atmospheric, this one is definitely chock full of all the things that live in your nightmares - and its's so strangely, deliciously fun. It was my first by this author, and will not be my last!

For fans of The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina and Mexican Gothic - What Moves the Dead is sure to be the perfect book to pick up during this spooky season!

Truly splendid, once of the best books I’ve ever read or listened to. The gothic horror is reminiscent of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The main character is a properly written NB lieutenant, visiting their old friends at the house of Usher. The Usher siblings are decaying, and something is taking over their bodies. The chills are absolutely real, and the characters feel vivid even as they rely on tropes of their countrymen. I was delighted by this read and won’t soon forget it.

Just as I requested this book I read T. Kingfishers other book The Hollow Places which I found quite disappointing. It discouraged me from reading this one for a very long time. But let me say, that was a TERRIBLE mistake. What Moves the Dead is an excellent novel full of horror, comedy, and unforgettable scenes. Early reviews said this was a grotquese body horror novel, but I felt that doesn’t do this book justice. This was so much more than simply a body horror book, T Kingfisher’s writer style allowed for her to incorporate funny moments woven between the horror and made such visceral horror digestible. Don’t get me wrong, it does have body horror, but it was not the main focus for me.

To me, I would focus on the atmosphere that this story creates. With the setting of the house omitting gothic elements and ghostly vibes (like a reimagining of a haunted house), Kingfisher creates a delectable atmosphere that engrossed me from page one and did not let me go.

This clever and claustrophobic retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher is done in marvelous T. Kingfisher fashion. Come stay awhile in the gothic manse of your nightmares, and do mind the fungus, won't you? I'm a sucker for Poe and retellings, so this was made for my grubby little hands and my only complaint was I would have liked MORE! Fantastic!