What Feasts at Night

This is a chillingly, creepy story, a part of T. Kingfisher's "Sworn Soldier" series. You really need to read the first one in the series, "What Moves the Dead" before tackling this one. We follow our main character, Alex Easton, who is a gender non-binary soldier with PTSD, a condition from their time on the battlefield. They return back to their family’s hunting lodge, and find that strange deaths are occurring at night, while people are dreaming. It goes on to be a retelling of something called the legend of the “nightmare.” This was only 160 pages but so much horror was crammed into those pages. I'm not usually a big fan of novellas but I really enjoyed this one. T. Kingfisher is always wonderful at giving us creepy and show more unsettling images to play on our vivid imaginations. I have a friend and a son with PTSD and she handled this subject so very carefully. I was appreciative of that. As with the first book, the story was atmospheric and wonderfully eerie...in short, a really good read. This series mises the wry sense of humor and weird, quirky writing that some of her other books did but overall, a tale that will chill you to the bone. Just what a horror story enthusiast could ask for. show less

What Feasts at Night is the sequel to What Moves the Dead and I really hope T. Kingfisher continues to write about Alex Easton because I love both these stories so much. T. Kingfisher's writing style shines in this little novella, with her classic mix of humor, compelling characters, and horror that is gruesome without being graphic. The plot takes a little bit to get going, but I thoroughly enjoyed the slower build up, getting to know the characters and the place better.

I think of these books as cozy horror, because the scares are there and the characters do suffer, but there is always the sense that they will make it through somehow. In this book especially since Alex is telling the story to you, the reader, but it's something I love show more about T. Kingfisher's horror and writing in general. If this is your first foray into her writing I highly recommend giving the rest of her books a chance, she writes across genres but they all have this delightful common element, as well as a bit of weird. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review. show less

Sporadically creepy gothic stay in a remote hunting lodge. The humor is wry and dark and delightful, and the horror is biting. Alex Easton is a new favorite main character and I will have to backtrack to What Moves the Dead forthwith.

Does anyone else write horror humor better than T. Kingfisher? (I'm serious, if you have an answer please let me know!) I found this more satisfying than the first Alex Easton book, [b:What Moves the Dead|58724626|What Moves the Dead (Sworn Soldier, #1)|T. Kingfisher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632936332l/58724626._SY75_.jpg|91735925], possibly because What Feasts at Night isn't based on a classic tale and thus the plot has more freedom to go wherever Kingfisher's uniquely weird mind takes it. In addition to being creepy and funny (often at the same time), the novella features several passages that are breathtakingly beautiful. I was lukewarm on the series when it started, but now I'm hoping show more that Alex, Angus, and Hob the horse have many more macabre adventures ahead. show less

I liked this one just as much as the first one. I have a whole back log of books but I took a detour to read this one.

I love all of the characters. Easton is a delight and might be my favorite main character ever. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times at their inner monologue and just found them overall enjoyable. The minor characters in this were fun as well. Miss Potter is someone I’d love to hang out with and I want Angus as my grandpa. The Widow was such a dynamic character and I could picture her so vividly.

Once again the writing was unique and I was very engaged. I enjoyed how everything flowed together. Even though you could see where things were going I still found it interesting. The fourth wall breaks were done show more well and I think added for the book.

I do think I’ll have to wait on future books until after my backlog but I really enjoy this series. show less

This deliciously creepy novella follows a newly returned soldier who finds the caretaker of their home dead and a strange silence around the grounds. In the nearby village there is talk of a breath-stealing being. How much stock should the soldier put into local superstitions? I love the mix of recognizable folklore and elements of fantasy that keep the reader guessing. Kingfisher’s characters are solid and compelling. You may find yourself keeping the lights on after finishing this book. - Sarah F

The return of Alex the sworn soldier, investigating another eldritch mystery, this time at Alex’s inherited hunting lodge, where a mysterious woman might be stealing the breath of her victims—or maybe they just have pneumonia. Another good, short retelling of a classic story seen through the eyes of a soldier with PTSD.