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librarymouse's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Violence, War, Alcohol, Body horror, Medical content, Grief, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
While there is no intentional cruelty, there is animal injury during a dream sequence in the last third of the book. More detail is listed in the spoiler part of my review.cleverruhs's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Animal cruelty, and War
chelbelle122's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Violence, and War
reedandright's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Gore, War, and Body horror
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Death, and Grief
Minor: Rape, Alcohol, Gun violence, and Blood
justaddwater's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Alcohol, Murder, Death, Gore, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Mental illness, War, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Religious bigotry
maresuju's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Moderate: Terminal illness, Confinement, and Grief
Minor: Gore, War, and Blood
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This doesn't specifically wrap up something left hanging, but it continues several of the relationships first developed in WHAT MOVES THE DEAD. The main storyline is new, and the breath-stealing threat is both introduced and resolved. Alex's narration somehow contains even more stories of their fondness for and exasperation with Gallacia as a place they don't want to inhabit but can't seem to leave behind. The actual narrative can stand on its own, and Alex conveys the relevant backstory succinctly enough, but certain elements of Alex's fear will resonate much more to a reader who is familiar with the events of the previous book.
I enjoyed this and look forward to where Alex's frightful travels take them next!
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Terminal illness, Gore, Blood, Xenophobia, War, and Death
gondorgirl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Violence, War, and Gore
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the e-arc. I’m providing an honest review of my own volition <3
I think I enjoyed this follow up more than the first novella! This story continues to follow Alex Easton as they go home to Gallacia and investigate an alleged moroi (ghost haunting this townspeople’s dreams?! Truly the stuff of nightmares, get it?!).
I thoroughly enjoyed Alex’s self-deprecating humor and their disbelief that this could really be a ghost. Their comparison of a ghost to an ostrich had me ✨howling✨ 😂 I have never heard such a goofy explanation for why someone doesn’t really believe in ghosts and I was cackling.
I also appreciated the way that like Kingfisher created new pronouns for Gallacia, she also created different words for PTSD, as Alex navigates this and panic attacks in the book, due to their past experiences in the war and with the Ushers. It was a poignant questioning that Alex put themself through, wondering if they could trust their brain after everything they endured 😭
The ending was so delectable and honestly, so damn hilarious. I love that Alex simply does not know what was real and what was a fever dream. That’s the fun of ghost stories that surround non-believers, despite what Alex thinks happened with Madeline Usher in the first book.
Anyway, I think this sequel was so much fun and it works fine as a standalone too!
Graphic: Grief, Body horror, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Minor: Animal death and War
vaguely_pink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
After loving What Moves the Dead in 2022, I eagerly gobbled up What Feasts at Night. T. Kingfisher has once again woven an expertly crafted spooky tale filled with dread, fascinating lore, and her signature dark humor in this novella. These characters are far more compelling, complete, and likeable than many I've read in far longer books. Kingfisher has also written a wonderfully honest experience of PTSD from a perspective that isn't often seen.
I did find myself wishing there was a little bit more after reading What Feasts at Night, which while I commonly feel with novellas, I did not feel that way with this book's predecessor. I wish there'd been a little more lore explained behind the Moroi. I think What Moves the Dead avoided this pitfall by simply being a retelling of a familiar story. What Feasts at Night didn't have that base to fall back on.
All in all, I still absolutely loved my time back with Easton, Angus, Miss Potter, and my favorite Hob, and am looking forward to picking up the hardcover when it's released!
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Animal death
Minor: Confinement, Grief, Chronic illness, Classism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Cursing, Alcohol, War, and Death of parent