Reviews

A Descent Into The Maelstrom by Edgar Allan Poe

Only show reviews with written explanations

lillowo's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

The short story was an interesting and gripping look at a Maelstrom and I was struck by how blatant our guide explains the malestrom and what he went through with it. He talks so blatantly about the death of his brothers during this accident which only adds to the indescribable horror that you read in between the lines as he's talking about his incident and as we hear the narrator's research. It was a really interesting read!

bumblebusra's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

i sure do hope mister edgar allan poe is right about how to survive a whirlpool because this will be all i think about next time i am on a boat

zuhanyh23's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.75

nebbit's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

andredias's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

A story within a story, this sea tale takes place in the Norwegian seas (Lofoten) and got inspired by the Moskstraumen whirlpools. The story is narrated by a supposed old man "You suppose me a very old man," he says, "but I am not. It took less than a single day to change these hairs from a jetty black to white, to weaken my limbs, and to unstring my nerves." The story recounts how the narrator survived a shipwreck in the middle of a huge whirlpool.

The story itself is not horrific but it depicts well the events that happened, his emotions and the fears lived during the shipwreck. The tale also emphasizes the narrator's feelings and his terror in this deadly experience. The story makes reference to Jonas Danilssønn Ramus, a man from Norway who wrote about a famous maelström at Saltstraumen. A descent into the Maelstrom is labeled as an early form of Science of Fiction mixed with mystery and thriller features.

The sea has always fascinated the human mind, for its dangers and the thrilling tales that fuelled our curiosity. It's these risky situations that challenge us to unbelievable levels, where our reasoning skills are put into test in order to survive.

My Rating: 3.6/5 stars