My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen | Book Review

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My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen
Published by Poisoned Pen Press on May 14, 2024
Genres: Gothic, Horror, LGBT, Romance
Pages: 377
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Death, Abuse, Sexual Assault, Gore, Self Harm, Mental Illness, Incest, Homophobia 
Rating:

Spirits are drawn to salt, be it blood or tears. Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth—strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries—is the light of Roos' life. That is, until the wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop visits one of Roos' backroom seances, and the two strike up a connection. Soon, Roos is whisked away to the crumbling estate Agnes inherited upon the death of her husband, where an ill woman haunts the halls, strange smells drift through the air at night, and mysterious stone statues reside in the family chapel. Something dreadful festers in the manor, but still, the attraction between Roos and Agnes is undeniable. Then, someone is murdered. Poor, alone, and with a history of 'hysterics', Roos is the obvious culprit. With her sanity and innocence in question, she'll have to prove who—or what—is at fault or lose everything she holds dear.

I am seriously slacking on writing reviews in a timely manner at the moment, but some of these books lately have required some thought before sitting down to write. My Darling Dreadful Thing left me reeling, unsure what was real and what wasn't. And for that reason, I have had to marinate on my feelings.

The story is divided into three parts and flip flops between Roos Beckman telling her story and notes from her doctor after she is locked up for allegedly murdering her employer and lover. This back-and-forth between viewpoints was sometimes jarring and left me feeling uneasy, which added to the story's creepiness. Despite this, the book is not particularly scary, which I was disappointed in because it was advertised as gothic horror. There were certainly times of unease, especially regarding the statues and the depiction of the ghosts Roos and Agnes can both see and talk to, but other than that, this is not a scary story, which van Veen mentions in her notes at the beginning of the book. 

"If you strip My Darling Dreadful Thing until nothing remains but its essence, you will not find a horrific secret at its very heart. You will find, instead, a love story." And that is exactly what I found, a love story between two abused and discarded women who sought comfort in their shared trauma. Their story is a tragic one, and a reminder that childhood trauma can manifest in many ways and bind people together. Some have mentioned they felt the love story happened too quickly, but I didn't feel that way. Roos certainly falls faster and harder, and I blame her lack of love as a child for this fact. Agnes was also discarded as a child, but at least had a loving mother for part of her childhood, creating a more reserved adult. Things don't fully blossom between the two until much later in the story, which does include some spicy scenes. I don't particularly like spice, but they were tastefully done. Even if some believe the love story happens too quickly, the love feels easy and real. Roos and Agnes finally found some solace in their desperately lonely lives with each other, which is all anyone could ask for.

What I enjoyed most, however, was the world-building. van Veen has a knack for picking just the right words to describe every detail, fully immersing the reader in the world she has created. Every macabre detail adds to the richness of the story and is anything but superfluous. It's clear van Veen pulled inspiration from Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, and she does a beautiful job reimagining the events that happen there. The Universe has certainly wanted this story retold recently, with several retellings popping up across multiple media types. I wonder what it's trying to tell us...

Despite loving the characters, the environment, the love story, and the attention to detail, the story fell flat for me. The juicy, dark secret was predictable and that lack of horror was disappointing. I wanted more than what I was given, but that's okay. It's still a stunning debut novel, just not one I will likely read again. Do I recommend My Darling Dreadful Thing? Yes, especially for those looking for tragedy and sapphic romance.

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher | Book Review

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What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
Series: Sworn Solider #2
Published by Tor Nightfire on February 13, 2024
Genres: Gothic, Horror, LGBT, Folklore

Pages: 151
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Alcohol, Death, Gore, Nightmares, PTSD
Rating:

Retired soldier Alex Easton returns in a horrifying new adventure. After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, as a favor to Angus and Miss Potter, they find themself heading to their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia. In theory, one can find relaxation in even the coldest and dampest of Gallacian autumns, but when Easton arrives, they find the caretaker dead, the lodge in disarray, and the grounds troubled by a strange, uncanny silence. The villagers whisper that a breath-stealing monster from folklore has taken up residence in Easton’s home. Easton knows better than to put too much stock in local superstitions, but they can tell that something is not quite right in their home. . . or in their dreams.

I absolutely adore T. Kingfisher's storytelling, especially when it comes to gothic fiction and fantasy. What Feasts at Night is no different. This short novella is the second in the Sworn Solider series (?), following Easton after their traumatic ordeal at Usher Manor. Easton and company arrive at their hunting lodge, only to find the caretaker missing, the place in complete disarray, and white moths inhabiting the weirdest of places.

What Feasts at Night is not nearly as creepy as What Moves the Dead, but the slow build leading to the dramatic finish left me more anxious than the first tale. Unlike its predecessor, What Feasts at Night is not a retelling, but a dip into folk horror, with lots of humor throughout. Easton has clearly undergone some changes since the first book, their sense of humor amplified, likely as a way to deal with the trauma of the past. These bits of humor mixed with suspense made for a unique reading experience.

T. Kingfisher does an excellent job weaving a fantastical creature feature mixed with dream sequences we aren't sure are actually dreams, character building, and a snarky new caretaker you can't help but adore. While I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as the first, it was still a four-star rating from me. It's nice to throw in some quick reads between series or more daunting books, and this one was perfect for the occasion.

Spoiler Alert 
Rest assured! Hob, Easton's beloved horse, is not harmed in this book, despite the foreboding cover.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher | Book Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Series: Sworn Solider #1
Published by Tor Nightfire on July 12, 2022
Genres: Gothic, Horror, Retelling, Sci-fi, LGBT
Pages: 165
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Alcohol, Death, Suicide, Attempted Murder, Fire, Gore
Rating:

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 Ruravia. 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.

I must say I love a good retelling and I love T. Kingfisher's retellings and reimaginings. What Moves the Dead is a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher and offers a unique perspective of the events mixed with sci-fi elements. If you enjoyed The Last of Us (game or TV series) then this is the book for you as fungi play a central role in the story.

What Moves the Dead follows Alex Easton, a non-binary soldier, who comes to aid their friends in their time of need. When they arrive, they find the Usher house dilapidated and overrun with weird fungi, a lake that glows, hares that behave oddly, and two very ill Ushers, especially Madeline Usher who seems to be more dead than alive. As the story progresses, things get weirder and weirder, creepier and creepier. While I would categorize What Moves the Dead as horror, it does not keep you up at night horror, but it's certainly enough to induce anxiety or feelings of unease and dread.

T. Kingfisher does an excellent job representing non-binary individuals and even creates an entire set of pronouns unique to Easton's home country, pronouns that are thoroughly explained and respected more often than not (there is some misgendering). Because the other characters fully accept Easton for who they are, it's easy for the reader to catch on to the pronoun usage and accept their existence. Kingfisher also does an excellent job addressing issues of misogyny in the scientific community, showcasing an amateur woman scientist who is a force to be reckoned with and who isn't clumsy or ditsy. As a scientist myself, women are often depicted as smart yet clumsy or ditsy to avoid appearing too masculine. I loathe this trope, and I am so thankful Kingfisher avoided it.

What Moves the Dead is a highly atmospheric slow burn, albeit short. The story gradually unfolds, which aids in growing the suspense and dread felt by the reader, and often includes some light-hearted humor among the suspense. Kingfisher is a truly gifted storyteller with unique prose that will leave you wanting more. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, atmosphere, science, and character development, as well as the unique reasoning behind the fall of the House of Usher. I will likely reread this book in the future, despite my current rating of 4 out of 5 stars. I am so excited to continue Easton's journey in the next book in the series What Feasts at Night.