What Feast at Night

By- T. Kingfisher

  This book is another library find, although I am a Fan of T. Kingfisher books and usually grab any book I find that she has written. I recently looked her up and I was surprised that T Kingfisher is a pen name for her adult books, she also writes children books. If I had to describe her adult books they are dark fairy tales. The cover for this book meets my expectations for her stories with a graphic and haunting looking horse with the skin and flesh peeling off its skeleton. I was a little disappointed after reading this, I discovered it was the second in a series and now I need to find the first book.

    The book starts with Alex and Angus both retired soldiers in the employ of Miss Porter, traveling to Alex's family cabin in the land of Gallacia. Gallacia is described by Alex as less civilized as the modern London, the local people believe in superstitions and have weird customs. Upon arriving at the cabin it appears abandoned and they are unable to locate Corbin who was hired to care for the property in Alex's absence. There is an eerie feeling as they search for him expecting to find his deceased body, as it turns out he became ill and died at his family home. They reach out to the family to find out what the cause was however, they can not get a clear answer they were just told he was sick. Alex hires a local woman and her son to help them get the property cleaned and repaired as well as prepare meals for everyone. Rumors from the local town begin stirring saying that Corbin's death was cause by a moroi, a dark creature in the form of a woman that sucks the breath from your body until you die. Miss porter arrives and is excited to spend time in the area researching and seeking mushrooms all the while enjoying the diverse and rich culture of the area. Things take a turn when the housekeeper's son falls ill and Alex starts to dream of the moroi stealing his breath. Is the creature real or is the power of suggestion causing bad dreams, you will have to read and find out.

    Another fantastic book by T Kingfisher, her short stories always do a great job building a whole world for you to immerse yourself in without having to make the book longer. Her dark fairy tales are unique and entertaining, making me wonder where she gets her inspiration. Are her stories based off real fairy tales or folklore or are they entirely her own creations. I highly recommend all of her books, whether you read a lot or very little, the shorter stories may be good for those that read less.