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Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'
His Hideous Heart: 13 of Edgar Allan Poe's Most Unsettling Tales Reimagined by Dahlia Adler
3 reviews
melodyseestrees's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Homophobia, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content, Kidnapping, and Animal death
Minor: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Ableism
cheye13's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
3.0
I really appreciated that the original stories were also included. I love Poe's stories, but I'm not a fan of his writing itself, so the refresher on the stories was very helpful, and I enjoyed the update with the new authors' styles.
Likewise, I appreciated the diversity that the new stories introduced into those timeless plots. But while I wouldn't say the writing held back at all, I do think being YA is to its detriment. There's torture, terror, and murder, but I ultimately found it lacking a certain impact.
Overall, a pleasant way to pass time and revisit or reintroduce some classic stories, but a little young in tone for me.
★★★★★ | The Oval Filter
★★★★ | She Rode a Horse of Fire, Red, Lygia, Changeling
★★★ | It's Carnival!, Night-Tide, The Glittering Death, A Drop of Stolen Ink, Happy Days Sweetheart, Murders in the Rue Apartelle, Boracay
★★ | The Fall of the Bank of Usher
★ | The Raven (Remix)
Likewise, I appreciated the diversity that the new stories introduced into those timeless plots. But while I wouldn't say the writing held back at all, I do think being YA is to its detriment. There's torture, terror, and murder, but I ultimately found it lacking a certain impact.
Overall, a pleasant way to pass time and revisit or reintroduce some classic stories, but a little young in tone for me.
★★★★★ | The Oval Filter
★★★★ | She Rode a Horse of Fire, Red, Lygia, Changeling
★★★ | It's Carnival!, Night-Tide, The Glittering Death, A Drop of Stolen Ink, Happy Days Sweetheart, Murders in the Rue Apartelle, Boracay
★★ | The Fall of the Bank of Usher
★ | The Raven (Remix)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Torture, Murder, Violence, and Homophobia
Moderate: Transphobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content
Minor: Grief and Stalking
the_books_music_life's review
3.75
I wish more authors narrated their stories. It adds a whole new aspect to listening to them cause only the authors know how a certain character sounds and what their feeling the most, so the fact that almost all of the authors narrate their own stories makes me so happy and only adds to my reading/listening experience. You don't need to have read any of Edgar Allan Poe's works but I think it helps to have a good understanding of the stories and what was changed in the retelling. I really loved how all the stories and poems the retellings were based off of where in the back of the book so you could read them before or after you read the retellings.
She Rode a Horse of Fire - Kendara Blake
Inspired by: Metzengerstein
I really enjoyed this story, I love the way she took the original tale and molded into her own. I love Kendara’s writing and this didn’t disappoint. The changes she made were excellent and you honestly couldn't even tell it was a retelling.
--
It’s Carnival! - Tiffany D. Jackson
Inspired by: The Cask of Amontillado
The Jamaican flare she added to the retelling transported you into the story and the lyrical writing kept you there. Her voice when she narrates is musical. Just chiefs kiss.
--
Night-Tide by Tessa Gratton
Inspired by: Annabel Lee
This story stay true to the original of Annabelle Lee, which is my favorite of all of Edgar Allan Poe’s works and I’m glad the author didn’t go to far from the original and instead turned it into a lesbian love story set in a time where that kind of thing was thought of as evil and wicked.
--
The Glittering Death by Caleb Roehrig
Inspired by: The Pit and the Pendulum
I like how the murder mystery-ness of this gives me chills. The fact that this could actually happen to anyone is a frightening thing and the author does an amazing job of depicting that while also staying true to the original story.
--
A Drop of Stolen Ink - Emily Lloyd-Jones
Inspired by: The Purloined Letter
I really really enjoyed this. I have no other words but I really loved this. I can't even describe how much I loved this, I have no words.
--
Happy Days Sweetheart - Stephanie Kuehn
Inspired by: The Tell-Tale Heart
I don’t really have a lot to say about this retelling. It was good and showed how women, especially women of color, are often overlooked and ignored when a man or especially a white man is running against them.
--
The Raven Remix - Amanda Lovelace
Inspired by: The Raven
This was a…very short and unique remix of the classic. I’ve never read black out poetry before so maybe that has something to do with why I didn’t click with it.
--
Changeling - Marieke Nijkamp
Inspired by: Hop-Frog
This retelling had a little too much of a fantasy element for my tastes. It’s not my favorite out of the retellings which is sad because I love fantasy stories.
--
The Oval Filter - Lamar Giles
Inspired by: The Oval Portrait
This was more horror story than I was expecting and I'm here for it. I really liked the angle the author took.
--
Red - Hillary Monahan
Inspired by: The Masque of the Red Death
I was so confused by this whole story. Probably my least favorite of all the retellings. It was just so confusing and had no context about what was going on.
--
Lygia - Dahlia Adler
Inspired by: Ligeia
Another kind of confusing story but one I understand at least a little. The main point of the story is the power of grief and I think the author did really well.
--
The Fall of the Bank of Usher - Fran Wilde
Inspired by: The Fall of the House of Usher
I loved this one. Plain and simple I absolutely loved this. The almost syfi element the story took was so well executed and when it was over I just wanted more, I wanted their backstory and more from the characters.
--
The Murders in the Rue Apartelle Boracay - Rin Chupeco
Inspired by: The Murders in the Rue Morgue
I wasn't expecting the little plot twist at the very end of this, but honestly, with how much true crime videos and stuff I watch I'm ashamed that I didn't figure it out. The transgender approach to the story was something I wasn't expecting but I loved it.
She Rode a Horse of Fire - Kendara Blake
Inspired by: Metzengerstein
I really enjoyed this story, I love the way she took the original tale and molded into her own. I love Kendara’s writing and this didn’t disappoint. The changes she made were excellent and you honestly couldn't even tell it was a retelling.
--
It’s Carnival! - Tiffany D. Jackson
Inspired by: The Cask of Amontillado
The Jamaican flare she added to the retelling transported you into the story and the lyrical writing kept you there. Her voice when she narrates is musical. Just chiefs kiss.
--
Night-Tide by Tessa Gratton
Inspired by: Annabel Lee
This story stay true to the original of Annabelle Lee, which is my favorite of all of Edgar Allan Poe’s works and I’m glad the author didn’t go to far from the original and instead turned it into a lesbian love story set in a time where that kind of thing was thought of as evil and wicked.
--
The Glittering Death by Caleb Roehrig
Inspired by: The Pit and the Pendulum
I like how the murder mystery-ness of this gives me chills. The fact that this could actually happen to anyone is a frightening thing and the author does an amazing job of depicting that while also staying true to the original story.
--
A Drop of Stolen Ink - Emily Lloyd-Jones
Inspired by: The Purloined Letter
I really really enjoyed this. I have no other words but I really loved this. I can't even describe how much I loved this, I have no words.
--
Happy Days Sweetheart - Stephanie Kuehn
Inspired by: The Tell-Tale Heart
I don’t really have a lot to say about this retelling. It was good and showed how women, especially women of color, are often overlooked and ignored when a man or especially a white man is running against them.
--
The Raven Remix - Amanda Lovelace
Inspired by: The Raven
This was a…very short and unique remix of the classic. I’ve never read black out poetry before so maybe that has something to do with why I didn’t click with it.
--
Changeling - Marieke Nijkamp
Inspired by: Hop-Frog
This retelling had a little too much of a fantasy element for my tastes. It’s not my favorite out of the retellings which is sad because I love fantasy stories.
--
The Oval Filter - Lamar Giles
Inspired by: The Oval Portrait
This was more horror story than I was expecting and I'm here for it. I really liked the angle the author took.
--
Red - Hillary Monahan
Inspired by: The Masque of the Red Death
I was so confused by this whole story. Probably my least favorite of all the retellings. It was just so confusing and had no context about what was going on.
--
Lygia - Dahlia Adler
Inspired by: Ligeia
Another kind of confusing story but one I understand at least a little. The main point of the story is the power of grief and I think the author did really well.
--
The Fall of the Bank of Usher - Fran Wilde
Inspired by: The Fall of the House of Usher
I loved this one. Plain and simple I absolutely loved this. The almost syfi element the story took was so well executed and when it was over I just wanted more, I wanted their backstory and more from the characters.
--
The Murders in the Rue Apartelle Boracay - Rin Chupeco
Inspired by: The Murders in the Rue Morgue
I wasn't expecting the little plot twist at the very end of this, but honestly, with how much true crime videos and stuff I watch I'm ashamed that I didn't figure it out. The transgender approach to the story was something I wasn't expecting but I loved it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Animal death
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