Oof…I did not count “mold” and “mushrooms” on my list of things I am freaked out by, but that has changed. Kingfisher’s gripping novella reimagining Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” weaves together several twists and turns that leaves you suspicious of the nature surrounding you. Although the ending wasn’t all that surprising, if you like Poe, adaptations, horror, mysteries, or ecology (??), this is worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley, T. Kingfisher, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 3 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 3/5
-Cover: 4/5
-Story: 2.5/5
-Writing: 2.5/5
Genre: Retelling/Horror/Mystery
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: Eh

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to listen to this book. I was excited to see this was up for request and instantly hit the button. I have had it on my TBR. It started out pretty great but went kind down hill. I don't know why T. thought it would be best to tell us over and over and over again about something we got the first freaking time. The story was good but could have been done so much better. Sometimes the OG should just be left alone.

Great concept, but this fell a little flat for me. I really enjoyed T. Kingfisher's books The Hollow Places and Nettle & Bone, but this book was just a little too slow. I did find that the last few chapters were a lot more engaging.

Maybe my problem was that I listened to the audio version and I didn't really like the narrator? I wonder if the book would have felt less monotonous if I would have read it?

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is my first read from T Kingfisher, and it definitely will not be my last.,

What Moves the Dead is a retelling of Poe's short story, The Fall of the House of Usher. From the very beginning, there is a feeling of unease as the main character, Easton, arrives at the home of childhood friend, Madeline Usher and her brother Roderick. The house is in disrepair, Madeline is very ill, and Roderick is clearly not himself as well. Add in strange fungal growths, white hares that move in a way no hare should move, and a lake that grows green, and you have the setting for an extremely unsettling, and ultimately horrifying tale.

Kingfisher does a fantastic job of building the atmosphere slowly, and leading to a conclusion that left me shuddering for days. I also enjoyed our main character, Easton, who somehow managed to be witty in the middle of a horror story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was well written and plotted, but was not without its issues.

For a start, it did not differentiate itself enough from Poe's original Fall of the House of Usher. In fact, the name Usher remains throughout the story. It is also set at the end of the 19th century, but though I am sure the research was well done, it simply didn't seem believable. Perhaps this is because Kingfisher brought in too much sci-fi. It is hard to explain, but because it was a mix of real and not real, neither one ended up being convincing. The historical aspects felt misplaced with weird nods to the reader like an older woman named Potter who paints with water colors alluding to her niece Beatrix who is even better. I didn't quite understand the point, especially because this is a novella. Why are we taking time away from the story?

There were also too many characters introduced. They were not all necessary to the story. Some barely featured at all and certainly could have been cut. It simply felt like a half-finished book that could have required more editing. And, not that I am a publishing company, I'm surprised a book like this was published. It will never hold up to the original. We know that many retellings don't. But there is nothing about this version that is memorable. It borrowed so much from the original text yet failed to create the believability that Poe was always somehow able to create with his tales. Here, it just didn't quite work. I might still recommend it, but it's nothing special. Knowing the original, there is no mystery to the story either. And that feels like a mistake. I guess I was just looking for a spark that didn't exist.

this audiobook was so so so good! i really liked the narration and it was gripping from the first sentence! highly recommend

✨ Review ✨ What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher; Narrated by Avi Roque

Kingfisher remixes Poe's classic The Fall of the House of Usher. I could barely remember the original details of the Poe story - I just remember loving it in high school.

Kingfisher DELIVERS. It was such a delightfully creepy remake where Alex Easton, a retired soldier, heads to the family home of her friend Madeline Usher and Usher's brother Roderick who had served for a time with Alex abroad. Alex finds creepy fungi, mutilated but living hares, a mysterious lake, and two very ill friends. With a supporting cast of a British mycologist (fungi doctor), an American doctor, and a Scottish(?) sidekick, Alex seeks to solve this mystery before it's too late and the house or landscape consumes them.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Gothic Horror
Reminds me of: The Fall of the House of Usher, Mexican Gothic
Location: A made up place in the UK-ish
Pub Date: Out now!

The weird fungi gave me all the Mexican Gothic vibes, and Kingfisher gives us such great gothic horror here. The ambience is built up so brilliantly throughout the story. But this story also plays with gender roles and ethnic identity in smart and sometimes funny ways -- frequently joking about silly Americans and men who don't respect women and their brains. I loved this blend of horror, humor, and societal reflection.

This is so delightfully short and punchy - coming in at around 6 hours or 160 pages. I loved the audiobook - the narrator was fantastic and I could hardly put this one down. If you like Kingfisher's work or gothic writing, this is a can't miss!

Read this if you like:
⭕️ slow burn Gothic world building where the natural world comes alive
⭕️ a set of pronouns allowing for some gender bending results, and low-key recognition of nonbinary identity
⭕️ HARES AND HAIRS
⭕️ Feminist remakes of Gothic classics

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!

If you enjoy gothic horror, I highly recommend this. This book is on the shorter side, but Kingfisher does a great job packing all of the creepy punches into this unique story. This is a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher: An Edgar Allan Poe Short Story, which I listened to right after finishing this, and while this is longer and has it's own unique spin it does keep faithful to the original work.

The Usher house is in complete disrepair much to Alex Easton's surprise when they come to visit childhood friends Madeline and Roderick. Easton received word that Madeline had fallen ill and may not have much time left in this world. Easton is not prepared for what they find on the Usher property from strange wildlife, oddities in the lake, as well as Madeline and Roderick's conditions. Easton is aided by Roderick's friend an American doctor and a woman who studies fungus. I enjoyed all of the characters, which is rare in a horror novel. Easton is a wonderful character who takes center stage trying to figure out what is wrong with Madeline and Roderick and a way to save them both. Ever a soldier, Easton always keeps their wits about them despite the strange happenings in and around the Usher house. I don't want to give too much away because it would spoil the story but this weird little book is great! I loved the dark, ominous feelings I got from the descriptions. The world building is excellent, Kingfisher does a great job describing things.

If you are looking for some other creepy books with a similar feel I also recommend Sorrowland and Mexican Gothic.

I was provided both a print and audio arc of this book via Netgalley, thank you to the publishers for allowing me to read this in advanced. As always, all opinion are my own.

This book was a bit of me. Gothic, fungi, atmospheric setting, and a Poe retelling with a perfect combination of morbidity. I don't think this book will be for everyone, but those who love a haunting gothic tale will appreciate it. It was very reminiscent of Mexican Gothic.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

My new favorite genre, retellings and reimagining of already published stories. I like to see different perspectives from different authors. I was excited to find out that this story was an reimagining of The Fall of the House of Usher, by Edgar Allan Poe (One of my favorites). I was given the audiobook version of this book and narrator’s voice was perfect for this tale. Alex goes to the home of his childhood friend, Madeline and her brother Rodrick. The once great house of Usher isn’t looking so good and neither are occupants. Madeline is ill from some mysterious sickness and Rodrick is showing the same symptoms. Alex is determined to find what is causing their maladies with some help. The author did well with the retelling of this story and added her own twist to the story.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this Audiobook, I received review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Fall of the House of Usher meets Watership Down? Sometimes the natural is more terrifying than the supernatural. Unique characters and an intriguing setting pays homage to Poe in this horrifying novella.

This book beautifully captures the mysterious elements of the original sorry. While I wasn't that big of a fan of the original, this was much more bareable. I was intrigued by the story overall despite being familiar with the tale. The story flowed wonderfully and was quite well written in my opinion. I loved that aspect despite how I wasn't the biggest fan of this story overall.

you know how news outlets sometimes describe movies as "Oscar bait"? this is that but for the Hugo award novella category. i was hoping this would lean a bit more into its gothic roots but it basically takes the premise and sprints with it in a sf/f speculative fiction direction. Kingfisher replicates so many classic elements of gothic fiction--the crumbling house, the haunted narrator, the nighttime apparitions, the mysterious lady's maid, the cleansing fire--without seeming to comprehend their functions. the house, here, is a setting--albeit a creepy one--but not a character. the narrator is interesting enough, yes, and haunted by their experiences in the war--but they're not written as an unreliable narrator, and their voice entirely lacks the narrative claustrophobia that defines and betters the genre. the fire serves a plot purpose (and an internally-justified scientific one) but lacks the emotional intensity of, say, Rebecca or even it's source inspiration Fall of the House of Usher. i could go on and on but! the tl;dr is that sure this is "atmospheric," as the blurb proclaims, but more science-horror-weird-creepy atmosphere than anything approaching gothic.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Tor/Forge Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new book by T. Kingfisher and narrated by Avi Roque - 4 creepy stars!

Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that his childhood friend, Madeline Usher is dying and races to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside. What he finds is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed hares, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is sick with a mysterious nervous issue. Alex meets a British mycologist and an American doctor who help him solve the secret of the House of Usher before they all succumb.

This is a retelling of Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher" and it is such a slow-burn but increasingly tense, creepy tale. The narrator's voices really added to the creepy factor and I couldn't stop listening to this one. And that cover!

This was really good! I decided to listen to the Poe story just before jumping into this one and I must say that I prefer this retelling to the original. The House of Usher is dealing with some terrible things including the decline of Roderick and his sister Madeline. This story had all of the creepy goodness that I had hoped to find and proved to be an incredibly entertaining read.

This story is told from Easton’s point of view. Easton is a non-binary character and there is a complete set of pronouns specific to the story which are explained in detail. Easton goes to visit and meets Denton there, an American doctor. Easton’s trusty horse and a military friend join them on this visit. They start noticing some weird things immediately, including wildlife that doesn’t look just right. There is a bit of a mystery and some creepy happenings to contend with and I couldn’t wait to see how things would eventually work out.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that the narrator did a remarkable job in bringing this story to life. I think that this was the first time that I have listened to Avi Roque’s narration and I think that he was a perfect pick for this story. I thought that he added just the right amount of emotion into his reading. I do believe that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a fantastic take on a classic tale. I loved the creepy vibes and was hooked by this story. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work.

I received a review copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

Listened to the audiobook.

One of the best books I've read in a long while.

ARC audiobook provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“What Moves the Dead” is a gothic retelling of Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher” with a twist. The story follows Alex Easton, a non-binary retired soldier who has traveled to the home of their childhood friends, Madeline and Roderick Usher, at the request of Roderick, who claims that Madeline is dying. Upon arrival, Alex is shocked at the state of disrepair and decay of the house of the Usher siblings and even more so at the deteriorating conditions of both Madeline and Roderick. The area is awash in fungal growths and even the local wildlife appear to be degenerating and acting strangely. Taking all of this in, Alex determines that they must do something to save their friends, but first they must get to the bottom of what is happening.

In their quest for answers, Alex is joined by a mycologist, Eugenia Potter, and another houseguest of the Ushers, an American doctor named James Denton. They band together to solve the mystery of the malady that is quickly claiming the lives of both Madeline and Roderick, whose behavior becomes stranger by the minute as their appearance rapidly declines into something rather frightening. Can the little group solve the mystery in time to save Madeline and Roderick, or are they now also doomed to suffer the same fate?

I did rather enjoy this book, although I do take some issue with a couple points which resulted in my three-star review. The first issue I have is that the large portion of the book, starting from the beginning, is almost a rather too spot-on retelling of Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher.” While I understand that was the author’s intent, I was hoping for something a little more original in the main body of the book. That being said, it was well-written and mostly an enjoyable and engaging read (it probably helps that I’m a dedicated Poe fan). The characters are interesting, and their interactions with each other and with the decaying environment surrounding them is explored well.

The other issue I have was discussed by the author herself in the author’s note section of this book. While the author was working on this book, another author published a book last year that had a similar twist at the climax and ending. I won’t share the name of this book, as it will give away the twist in this book to anyone who has read the book from last year. I did read the book last year, and as soon as the climax and twist was revealed in this book, I honestly cringed a bit. It was so very reminiscent of last year’s book that it ruined this book a bit for me. However, the author does flush out the twist and ending well, and her writing continues to be enjoyable. Out of the two books, I do actually prefer the twist and ending in this book. Unfortunately, the similarities just took the wind out of my sails and led me to reduce the star count in my review.

My copy of this book was an audiobook, so I must comment on the narrator. I think she did an excellent job. She kept me fully engaged in the story with her narration and quality and variety of voices for the various characters. I give the narrator herself five stars for a job well done.

Overall, this book was actually a pleasurable read. I think it would be most enjoyable for readers who are not familiar with Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and the book from last year, which I still will not reference by name. All things considered, this book would be a great read for both young adult and adult readers. The author’s writing overall was so well done I will be looking into her back catalogue for other books to read, and I will keep a watch out for future books she may write. I recommend that you try this book, in either written or audiobook form (I do highly recommend the audiobook), regardless of whether you are familiar with the aforementioned books. It is a worthwhile read.

If I had an autobuy list, T. Kingfisher would be on that list for damn sure. Kingfisher has novels that just stick with you long after you've finished. What Moves the Dead is nothing short off that. I think I'm one of the few kids who did not read The Fall of the House of Usher in school. Even with my vast collection of Poe stories, it seems to be one I've skipped often too. So in a sense, I went in completely blind on this new release.

Alex Easton is a retired soldier who travels to Ruritania to check on a childhood friend who is said to be dying. What he doesn't expect is to be greeted by a corpse of the woman he used to know. Her brother, Roderick, is just as bad off. Soon he's knee deep in a mystery of possessed creatures, a weird fungal growth and a death like no other.

I had the pleasure of listening to this on audio and I love the feeling of the classic tone Avi Roque kept in this novel. I feel they did a wonderful job keeping with the drama and atmospheric creepiness the author portrays in her writing style.

This is a short read coming in under 200 pages. Fast paced, atmospheric and downright weird. There is a specific twist that occurred that I swear could only have come from the beautifully twisted mind of the author. This is exactly why I love her novels. I highly recommend this novel to horror lovers and those who enjoy a good twisted retelling on a classic.

All of my thanks to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audio and TorNightfire for the poster art! Now I just need to complete my collection and get this beauty on my shelf.

A classic retelling of Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, this title adds an element that amps up the gross factor compared to the original. The sarcasm & humor throughout added some FUN, too. A quick read when you need some classic goth vibes.

Kingfisher is such a unique and talented writer. After finishing Nettle and Bone I knew I needed a copy of What Moves the Dead. While the story-telling itself feels completely different, this book still captured the eccentric vibe of Kingfisher's writing style. To put it plainly, no one does creepy horror better than T. Kingfisher.

What Moves the Dead is a novella base on Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. We are taken to a crumbling mansion where we find a "nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves." Can our central protagonist, Alex Easton, is a non-binary retired lieutenant, figure out what is going on before the House of Usher consumes them all?

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.