What Moves the Dead

A retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher, about a nonbinary war veteran who receives a letter from their old friend, Madeline Usher, urging them to visit.

They arrive to find Madeline suffering from a mysterious ailment, and on the way meet a delightful Englishwoman who is very into mycology.

I really enjoyed it. Not too long, but just long enough. It expands quite a bit on the original, and it feels like a classic in its own right.

Without being too spoilery, I never, when I started reading this book, thought I would finish it feeling pity for a fungus, but here we are.

I love Poe, and Usher is one of my favorite stories of his, and this retelling is absolutely masterful. The descriptions of the grounds and house are atmospheric and almost dripping with dread, which fills every page from page one and grows slowly, but incessantly, until you reach the end.