Reviews

Berenice by Edgar Allan Poe

polpoletus's review

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

topbob's review against another edition

5.0

SO AMAZING! Up there with the Black Cat as the most visceral, terrifying reads Poe has to offer. Unreliable narrator, atmosphere, horror... this is Poe at full gear.

codeling's review

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

myrtamv's review

dark fast-paced

3.0

anna_reads_'s review

challenging tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Interesting quick little read to get into dpooky mood

rafternorth's review against another edition

3.0

“How is it that from Beauty I have derived a type of unloveliness? — from the covenant of Peace a simile of sorrow? But thus is it. And as, in ethics, Evil is a consequence of Good, so, in fact, out of Joy is sorrow born. Either the memory of past bliss is the anguish of to-day, or the agonies which are, have their origin in the ecstasies which might have been. I have a tale to tell in its own essence rife with horror — I would suppress it were it not a record more of feelings than of facts.”

A short tale of terror told through the eyes of an ill man. I will say the lines are definitely blurred between reality and the dream world the narrator lives in. Since he is such an unreliable narrator I’m not sure if the events in this story really did occur, but mania and possible supernatural events go hand in hand with Poe, so I’m not sure it really matters. In the end it is creepy, although I do think the final bit about the premature burial was rushed somewhat.

All in all, not bad. Classic Poe, though not my favorite by any means.

Rating: 3 &1/2 Stars

sanmeow's review

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

i mean, i just love poe. anyway, a horror story about a dying berenice and her cousin egaeus who is obsessed with her. perfectly creepy and so genuinely weird, since berenice's cousin has a truly insane obsession with her teeth. once again, love poe! 

punksurfer's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

sophiagreads's review against another edition

4.0

Teeth.

gabijaz's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25