What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher is an engaging and chilling retelling of Edgar Allen Poe‘s The Fall of the House of Usher. This horror novella takes you through a nightmare-filled journey in the ancestral home of the Ushers, where dark secrets and ominous forces lurk around every corner.
The moment you open this book, actually before you even open it, you’re drawn in by the stunning and vivid cover art, which perfectly captures the tone of the novel. As you delve into the story, you’ll find T. Kingfisher’s writing style to be captivating and atmospheric. The way the author describes the setting, characters, and events creates a sense of dread and tension that is palpable throughout the entire book. You’ll feel like you’re right there in the Usher mansion, experiencing the terror alongside the characters.
Speaking of characters, the cast in What Moves The Dead is well-rounded and memorable. Alex Easton, the protagonist, is a retired soldier and a childhood friend of Madeline Usher. This bond adds an extra layer of complexity to the story, as Alex feels evocative of Poe’s original tale. But T. Kingfisher takes it to another level with her vivid descriptions of fungal growths and possessed wildlife. Each character has their unique quirks and is given enough time to shine throughout the story.
One of the best aspects of this book is the pacing. T. Kingfisher takes her time building the suspense, slowly unraveling the mystery of what’s happening in the Usher mansion. But once things start to heat up, the pace picks up quickly, and you’re left on the edge of your seat until the very final pages. It’s a testament to the author’s skill that they can create such a compelling narrative with less than 200 pages.
The humor infused in the writing also added a nice touch to an otherwise dark and brooding book. It breaks up the tension and allows the reader to breathe a little before diving back into the horrors of the Usher mansion. It also added a bit of charm to the personalities of the characters that helps readers sympathize with them when the story gets tough.
What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher is a must-read! It’s a gripping, atmospheric, and haunting retelling that captures the essence of the original story while adding its touches. The pacing, writing style, and characters are all well developed, which makes it easy for readers to become captivated by the novel’s atmosphere. The only downsides were that it took us this long to open the book and that even though the book was the perfect length, we could’ve read 200 more pages.
What Moves The Dead is currently available at bookstores everywhere in hardcover with the paperback edition hitting shelves on December 26, 2023. We highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Avi Roque.
T. Kingfisher’s followup novel, What Feasts at Night, will hit bookstores everywhere on February 13, 2024 from Tor Nightfire.
