Review – What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Narrator: Avi Roque
Published by Macmillan Audio on July 12, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Horror
Length: 5 hours 11 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
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From T. Kingfisher, the award-winning author of The Twisted Ones, comes What Moves the Dead, a gripping and atmospheric retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's classic "The Fall of the House of Usher."

*A very special hardcover edition, featuring foil stamp on the casing and custom endpapers illustrated by the author.*

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.

What they find there is 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.

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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.

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