WHAT MOVES THE DEAD by T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon)
Macmillan Audio production from Tor Nightfire ( 176 page novella)
Audio: 5 hours, 11 minutes
Narrator: Avi Roque



Another gem from the multi-award winning author , across many media. Kingfisher greatly and deeply expands upon Edgar Allan Poe’s classic story: The Fall of the House of Usher. …. maintaining its dark and gothic nature, but delves much deeper in the character and personality of the characters … while providing an ingenious explanation for the mounting horror. Our main protagonist in this version is given a name and rich back story (unlike Poe’s original tale).. … also of note, Alex Easton is a non-binary person, who is a “sworn” retired soldier from the fictitious country of “Gallacia”. ( A particularly violent and warring country. However, it does this very ineffectually and usually looses. This backstory gives Kingfisher the chance to insinuate her humor into the tale ). Alex rushes to the remote countryside of Rurtania, to the ancestral home of the Ushers…. after receiving a letter from Roderick that his sister is dying …. from “what” he cannot explain.
Roderick briefly served in the military with Alex, and Madeline is a childhood friend of theirs. Upon arrival Alex finds both of the Usher siblings in an extremely emaciated state… both obviously ill, fitting right in with the dilapidated and crumbling mansion they live in.
Alex is aided in her investigation of increasingly inexplicable events by both the American, Dr Denton and a rather prim and proper British Mycologist and artist, Miss Eugenia Potter. Both are continually called upon by Alex to offer possible explanations or insight, while using their expertise in medicine and knowledge of fungi. She is perplexed by the strangeness of the situation: a local lake (“Tarn”) that intermittently will pulse with varying color lights of unknown origin … as well as bering inhabited by fish that appear to be infested with “some type of fungal growth.” The local area around the gothic and foreboding Usher House is seemingly overrun with “witch” hares (named by the locals) which behave and move bizarrely. At one point Alex shoots one in the head .. and yet it’s able to get up and awkwardly amble away. Intermittently Alex finds Madeleine “sleepwalking” while talking and acting in a disturbingly weird manner. ( Madeline visually looks like “death warmed over” ). Alex frantically investigates in hope of finding the source of Madeline’s malady in an effort to save her. The narrative is laced with menacing and gothic descriptive imagery which effortlessly ratchets up the intrigue , tension and dread.
Kingfisher proves to be a master storyteller as the narrative brings to life the wonder and weirdness of the events, while expanding Poe’s story and infusing it with rich character development and an ingenious and reasonable explanations for the expanding dread. The ever present level of creepiness is so enjoyable, and yet disturbing. A perfect read for a stormy night.
I experienced the added benefit of being treated to the audio performance of Avi Roque, who expertly narrated the individual characters with such a wonderful nuance …. I enjoyed the ongoing “play” in the theater of my mind. Thanks to the narrator who allowed my mind to be fully invested in this gothic delight .
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advance audio performance in exchange for an honest review.

If you had told me before reading this book that anyone could take my favorite Edgar Allan Poe story, a story I've carried in my heart for probably 25 years (at least), that so broadly shaped my interests in horror, and somehow make it even better... I don't think I would have believed you — and yet, here we are.

Before listening to "What Moves the Dead" by T. Kingfisher, I decided to read the source material, Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" first. Do I dare say, I liked T. Kingfisher's retelling so much more. I do, And I did. I found it far more creepy and in some parts humorous. (Not sure if that was intended, but it worked for me.)

The one slight issue I had was the characters voices were not distinct enough to tell apart. That would be my only "complaint'. Otherwise a very enjoyable read (or listen) and I highly recommend.

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.

Audiobook readers: The story works fine with the format and provides a great quick listen because of the book’s short length. I liked the narrator and felt they embodied the protagonist well and differentiated the characters successfully.

Quite possibly one of the best retellings of Poe's works. The descriptive writing had me sitting on the edge of my little seat!

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!

NOW on to the narrator. I hated this audiobook. If I had only had this in audiobook form, I wouldn't have finished the book. I started with the audiobook and the overacting and horrible intonation of the narrator made me miserable. I moved over to the ebook to read the title, and then came back to attempt to slog through the audiobook. I don't understand ANY of the acting choices of this voice actor, and he's bound to ruin the book for many, many readers. Quite possibly my least enjoyable listen, ever.

DNF.

This is not what I thought it would be. It’s an interesting read but it’s not quite what I would classify as horror. I probably would have finished it if I had a physical copy but the narrator they chose for the audiobook is ill fitting with the themes.

Overall thoughts: ehh it’s okay

Enjoyment: 5
Total rating: 5


Inspired by Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher," we follow retired soldier Alex Easton as they rush to the Usher's home after receiving notice that Madeline is dying.

What they find is much worse than anticipated: possessed wildlife, fungal overgrowth and a very frail, unrecognizable Madeline. Her brother, and their friend, is not well either. Now Alex is racing against time to unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

Kingfisher is quickly becoming one of my fave authors. She has a talent for creating unique worlds, delivering humour consistent with the work's tone, building entire worlds seamlessly, and delivering delightful, well-rounded, engaging characters.

In What Moves the Dead, Kingfisher captures the essence of Poe's The House of Usher and gives it such a unique spin; the only similarities the reader encounters are the intense atmosphere, increasing tension and brilliant storytelling.

What Moves the Dead is set in an alternative world, containing its own pronoun rules, yet the narrative feels organic and easy to comprehend. The characters are delightfully early 1800-esque in nature, language and sense of humour.

It's worth checking the content warning before reading the novella, but I will say that Kingfisher handled it well and is written in a way that is pertinent to the plot.

I have also listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it - Avi Roque's narration is rich, engrossing and perfectly paced.


Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publishers and NetGalley for providing a copy of What Moves the Dead

If you're looking for something subtly creepy that doesn't fully deliver on true horror elements, this is the book for you.
The idea of fungus creating zombies has always been interesting to me. Kingfisher does go into more detail about what goes on in the infested animals which my little biology-loving brain really appreciated.
However, I feel that there was missing something. I didn't feel like I knew the characters very well and therefore didn't really care if they made it out alive. I wish this book was a little bit longer and that we got more character development than we did.

What a Haunting gothic story. Of a deep wood that is unlike any other with a house that is toxic but you don't quite understand why until near the end. With a mixture of PTSD and unnatural creatures, you just don't know what is right and what is wrong.

Although I haven't read Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, I can hear the haunted melody of this story mixed with a twist. It was a very quick read/listen that had me sucked in until the end.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @Macmillan.Audio for this audiobook!

What an interesting and entertaining story this one was! A little nugget of peculiar entertainment. So weird, but in the best way. The narration of this audiobook was amazing! It really made the story for me, and brought the very odd and quirky characters to life. Macmillan Audio is always wowing me with their audiobook quality and narrators! Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this ALC for my honest opinion.

I really did try to enjoy this ALC, but honestly I couldn’t get past the quality of the audio via the NetGalley Shelf app. The narrator’s voice was far to distorted for me to be able to continue listening.

I do wish there was a way to download a larger audio file for these ALCs.

A handsome, respectfully done interpretation of a classic, What Moves the Dead manages to maintain the suffocating gothic atmosphere of Edgar Allen Poe's source material (The Fall of the House of Usher), while expands in all aspects with a modern sensibility.

Just know going in, What Moves the Dead is a 'retelling' in its truest definition, so readers who are familiar with Poe's original might be slightly underwhelmed by what's essentially the same plot with unaltered outcome. But it is in the 'how-we-got-there' that counts — the (non-binary) narrator themselves get a significant boost in presence and personality, as well as a roster of new characters and more in-depth world building, all contributing to a richer, more immersive (and with a bit more levity) reading experience. The cause of the Usher's malady is explicitly identified this time around; while not at all shocking and easily predicted (the cover art pretty much says it all), its root (ha!) in body horror is vividly described and rightfully grotesque.

T. Kingfisher is clearly a fan of The Fall of the House of Usher, and What Moves the Dead possibly has its start as a self-initiated 'fan fiction' — is it necessary to attempt doing one better than Poe? One can argue the answer is probably not, but the end result here is without question a beautiful homage with new perspective and vigor.

T. Kingfisher has done it again with another weird and creepy novel, and I enjoyed this one more than the last I ready.

Alex Easton has just found out that their childhood friend, Madeline, is dying. They rush the their ancestral homeland to help, but what they find is more than disturbing. Possessed wildlife. Weird fungus. A pulsating lake. Something strange is going on and Alex will have to figure it out before it consumes them all.

Weird and creepy is my bag, and aside from a couple of squeamish scenes, I was 100% on board with this one. I feel like weird fungus is having a moment in horror, and I’m always pleasantly surprised to see how different people use it to develop their particular brands of horror.

I did this one in audio, but I think it would be just as effective in print. It’s out now wherever you get your books.

T Kingfisher really captured the essence of the original Poe story while also making it even more creepy and haunting. With the added flare of humor that I've come to expect in Kingfisher's books, this made for a very enjoyable read. One that is great as a companion to the original or also to stand on it's own

What moves the dead is a very atmospheric retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's Fall of the House of Usher. While I am not extremely familiar with the original, I found this version to be haunting and eerie, and it seemed to fit right in with the type of feeling I associate with Poe's work. While at first I found the narrator monotone, they definitely grew on me as the book progressed. For a non-binary main character, I thought the narrator was a good choice - their voice was not overly feminine or masculine, and kept a tone that matched the character. The narration also lent itself well to the feeling of unease. I really enjoyed the side characters. Mrs. Potter was entertaining and Angus was interesting. I am impressed that the author managed to get so much of a slow build to the dread and unease considering this was a relatively short book. I am definitely interested in reading more from T. Kingfisher in the future. They will absolutely be going on my list to keep an eye out for.

I loved this queer retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher. The tone of the narration felt true to Poe's original and all of the highlights of Roderick and Madeline's story are included yet Kingfisher adds a depth to the story while stretching it to novel length and puts a spin on it designed to chill modern readers.

I loved that the main character was nonbinary and that the world was described in a way where nonbinary people could simply exist without question and have common, socially acceptable pronouns. I listened to the audiobook of this story and was excited to find that the reader (who is fantastic, by the way!) is also nonbinary.

4 stars. Thank you Netgalley for the arc. T. Kingfisher is unrivaled when it comes to atmosphere. The atmosphere and character banter in their books is always top tier. The pacing of this was a little slow for me. As a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe , I wanted it to be more unsettling and disturbing much like the source material but it never really felt that way.

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...

This was sufficiently creepy. The book is very much in the vein of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic, so, if you're looking for something with similar vibes this is the one for you! It was MUCH better than Poe's original short story, in my opinion, and it was really great to have a non-binary main character as well! I need to stop reading horror books with fungus and spores and weird acting animals because they just make my mind run wild! This was also my very first T. Kingfisher book and I will be back for more! This would be a perfect early October read when the leaves are changing and the nights are growing long & spookier.
- a note for the audiobook: I LOVE Avi Roque as a narrator (same narrator as Cemetery Boys) and I could just listen to them forever.