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peaxekeepxr's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
corikane's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.75
tansybradshaw's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Really enjoyed this
grievingfortheliving's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.5
katiebookqueen's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve read a few Poe stories before but it’s been quite a few years since I last did, so I was excited to delve into this collection of some of his finest short horror stories, in perfect time for the spooky season. This book includes some of Poe’s most famous stories, twenty-six of them altogether, told with the perfect mixture of disturbance and unease.
For me, the shorter stories such as Morella and The Tell-Tale Heart are more sinister and engaging than some of the longer ones. They manage to draw you in with only a few pages per tale, but still manage to have a lasting creepy effect. I love the level of atmosphere Poe always managed to pack in to such short stories, and the characters are always intriguing. Sometimes you root for them, sometimes you wonder how they could be so twisted.
One of the things that stands out for me most about Poe’s stories is the level of detail he puts into them, no matter how gruesome. Everything is described in a way that allows you to perfectly conjure up an image of the scene in your mind. It allows you to place yourself in that moment, especially with stories such as The Premature Burial. Even for someone who doesn’t have a specific fear of being buried alive, the writing allows you to feel the horror that a person would feel in that situation. It’s probably the story that made my skin crawl the most!
It’s difficult to choose a favourite but one of my top choices is William Wilson because the subject of dopplgangers has always fascinated me and I love the way William’s second self was written in this story. It was the first Poe story that I read and it was great to reread it again in this collection.
This group of tales is a perfect read for this time of year when the nights are darker for longer, so go scare yourself silly. What is you favourite Poe story? Let me know!
For me, the shorter stories such as Morella and The Tell-Tale Heart are more sinister and engaging than some of the longer ones. They manage to draw you in with only a few pages per tale, but still manage to have a lasting creepy effect. I love the level of atmosphere Poe always managed to pack in to such short stories, and the characters are always intriguing. Sometimes you root for them, sometimes you wonder how they could be so twisted.
One of the things that stands out for me most about Poe’s stories is the level of detail he puts into them, no matter how gruesome. Everything is described in a way that allows you to perfectly conjure up an image of the scene in your mind. It allows you to place yourself in that moment, especially with stories such as The Premature Burial. Even for someone who doesn’t have a specific fear of being buried alive, the writing allows you to feel the horror that a person would feel in that situation. It’s probably the story that made my skin crawl the most!
It’s difficult to choose a favourite but one of my top choices is William Wilson because the subject of dopplgangers has always fascinated me and I love the way William’s second self was written in this story. It was the first Poe story that I read and it was great to reread it again in this collection.
This group of tales is a perfect read for this time of year when the nights are darker for longer, so go scare yourself silly. What is you favourite Poe story? Let me know!
heliacentr's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
3.5
kai____69's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
3.5
leny_ba99's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
marleysclassics's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I can only refer to the review of @annierose as it summarises my opinion of this anthology quite well.