Humans are, by nature, a social animal. We need contact with others to stay emotionally and mentally healthy. It’s also why readers and movie goers attach to characters. We want to find ourselves in characters, but we also want to find our friends and family in characters as well. In character driven fiction, different experiences are available to us. But, in all of these experiences, we can live a life other than our own. We can explore different choices, different thoughts, even different loves. The best character driven fiction features deep self-reflection and a heightened observation of people and places. What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher sees the return of Alex Easton, who is just such a character. Easton reflects on their life and closely observes those around them to the great joy of the reader.
TL;DR
T. Kingfisher’s What Feasts at Night features the wonderful return of Alex Easton in another atmospheric novel. If Kingfisher keeps writing Easton novels, you bet I’m going to keep reading them. Recommended.
From the Publisher
The follow-up to T. Kingfisher’s bestselling gothic novella, What Moves the Dead.
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.
Review: What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
Alex Easton returns, and the events of What Moves the Dead, Easton feels a debt to Miss Potter. Easton, Angus, and Potter all head to the family hunting lodge in the old country, a.k.a. Gallacia. The lodge needs a lot of work, and Easton and Angus need help. Their old caretaker passed away in, of course, odd circumstances. They enlist the Widow and her grandson, Bors, to help with the place. Soon, Bors comes down with an illness that’s suspiciously like what the old caretaker had. What’s going on with the family hunting lodge?
What Feast at Night is a first person delight. It’s a fast read with wonderful characters. The plot and mystery are easily guessed and not much to get excited about. What Moves the Dead was a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher. If What Feasts at Night is a retelling, I’m not well-read enough to know what story is being retold. It’s doesn’t matter if it’s a retelling or not because it’s a good story. What stands out is the lovely attention to detail and character that Kingfisher puts into every page. Spending time with Easton, Angus, Miss Potter, Bors, and, yes, the Widow is where the true joy of this story lies. Recommended.
Lovely Characters
Any of the characters in this book are wonderful. The priest who visits occasionally is a good character for the small amount of page time he gets. Alex Easton is wonderful in their way. Kingfishers spends more time ruminating on Easton’s military experiences in this story, and they were lovely. Easton’s reflections on war and the changes wrought by it are sad and all too human. In particular, Easton talks about dwelling in two places at once: the present and the war. This is so insightful and heartbreaking.
The Widow was the character that I liked reading about most, though. That poor, put upon woman. Kingfisher has created a well rounded individual who made me laugh while also frustrating me. The contrast between her and Bors was an excellent choice, and it was neat to see their relationship through the eyes of Easton.
Setting
Kingfisher excels at setting. In this and the previous book, you really get the feel of the place being described. While reading about the area, I could picture and sense the timelessness of the place. The backwoods of Gallacia is a place of tradition and superstition. It’s a village that one could imagine coming across while hiking in Europe. I hope this series continues, not just because I enjoy reading about Alex Easton’s adventures, but because I want to see where Kingfisher can take us next.
Conclusion
T. Kingfisher’s What Feasts at Night is a short, character driven novel. It features the return of Alex Easton and their friends Angus and Miss Potter. This trio can’t help but get mixed up in supernatural events. What Feasts at Night is no exception. This story features lovely characters in a lively setting. Recommended.
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher is available from Tor Nightfire now.
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