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meaganmart's review against another edition
4.0
His Hideous Heart brings us cleverly updated versions of some of Poe's most well-known stories. I appreciated how carefully each story was mapped out and how true the authors remained to the source material while still adding their personal flare. I purchased this copy for our middle grades library and recommend it to anyone who wants to introduce their students to the work of a classic author.
owlyreadsalot's review against another edition
3.0
This was a creepy and weirdly entertaining read. I wasn't in love with all the stories that filled this collection, but it didn't stop me from enjoying most of them. There was so much going on in here that made those few I wasn't so happy with, seem like a distant memory. And, that is saying a lot, because for being short stories those that I really liked, were very well done and captivating.
Then, there was the surprise that made this more of a complete collection, which were the additions of Edgar Allan Poe's original stories. I hadn't read more into this book, so I wasn't aware that his stories were included. Which, turned out to be a nice surprise, seeing the new and old together. And, even with the ones I wasn't so fond of, they were still a nice little take on the original.
Yes, I don't have to be fond of all of them to find an appreciation for a book that's done in this way. I'm glad there's a collection like this and hoping to see more like them in the near future. Especially, if they include stories like that of "She Rode a Horse of Fire" or "Changeling", which will give you nightmares and frights for days. Or, those like "It's Carnival!" or "Happy Days, Sweetheart" which will shock you to the core!
My rating might not make much sense with the tons of raving going on, but that has to do mostly with stories like "The Glittering Death" that just fell flat for me. Overall, it's a well rounded set of stories, even with those few not so savory ones. But, if you're a big fan of Edgar Allan Poe's stories like I am, you're not going to want to miss out on this book. It'd be a great read for Fall time.
***I received this copy from Flatiron Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
Then, there was the surprise that made this more of a complete collection, which were the additions of Edgar Allan Poe's original stories. I hadn't read more into this book, so I wasn't aware that his stories were included. Which, turned out to be a nice surprise, seeing the new and old together. And, even with the ones I wasn't so fond of, they were still a nice little take on the original.
Yes, I don't have to be fond of all of them to find an appreciation for a book that's done in this way. I'm glad there's a collection like this and hoping to see more like them in the near future. Especially, if they include stories like that of "She Rode a Horse of Fire" or "Changeling", which will give you nightmares and frights for days. Or, those like "It's Carnival!" or "Happy Days, Sweetheart" which will shock you to the core!
My rating might not make much sense with the tons of raving going on, but that has to do mostly with stories like "The Glittering Death" that just fell flat for me. Overall, it's a well rounded set of stories, even with those few not so savory ones. But, if you're a big fan of Edgar Allan Poe's stories like I am, you're not going to want to miss out on this book. It'd be a great read for Fall time.
***I received this copy from Flatiron Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
katscribefever's review against another edition
2.0
These retellings of Poe's short stories made me think of his tales in a brand new way--and were a great way to bring his stories to members of the modern generation who would not otherwise be interested in reading his work. A worthwhile read for anyone who loves Poe and YA lit.
brandypainter's review against another edition
2.0
I was excited to read this because it is a unique idea, and I love Edgar Allan Poe. Unfortunately, all the things that make Poe's stories great are watered down in these new reworking, making them just the same as any other modern day horror. Poe was a master at manipulating mood and atmosphere. The majority of these stories are completely lacking in both (the exceptions being the first story and the Anabel Lee story). I also have some serious issues with how a couple of them handled the psychology of the stories. I'm especially not comfortable with the apologist attitude of a couple of the stories that changed the murderer to angry girls. Torturous violence and murder is never justified in my opinion. My favorite is by far the first one, and it's based on a shorter, not as well known Poe. I wish I had stopped there.
slytherinlyss's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
the glittering death
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
the murders in the rue apartelle, borcay
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
night-tide
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
lygia
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
happy days, sweetheart
★ ★ ★ ★
she rode a horse of fire
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2
red
★ ★ ★ 1/2
its carnival!
★ ★ ★
a drop of stolen ink
★ ★ ★ 1/2
the oval filter
★ ★
the fall of the bank of usher
★ ★
raven (remix)
★
changeling
dnf’d
dnf’d
bzzlarabzz's review against another edition
3.0
My impressions of the YA adaptations seem to be heavily shaped by how well I love the original stories. Like, I appreciate the Auguste Dupin stories for their origination of detective stories, but I don't particularly enjoy them. The adaptations were fun and clever. But most of the other stories seemed overly simplified or only connected on a surface level. They were fine, but I honestly don't know that my teenage students would like them any more than I did. Not bad, but not as good as I wanted them to be. I do like that they included the original Poe stories in the book, so a newbie to Poe can easily do a tandem read. Even though I'd already read almost all of the Poe stories, I did a tandem read, too, which was fun.
bookishlychar's review against another edition
4.0
I have mostly read Poe's works throughout school. In fact, some of the short stories I knew, but didn't know were attributed to him. It was nice to revisit these stories as an adult and also see these retellings with more diversity in the cast of characters. I liked the inclusion of the Poe stories at the back of the book, and chose to read the stories in tandem. It allowed me to see the similarities and where the authors of the retellings found inspiration.
My three favourite stories were:
Night-Tide (inspired by Annabel Lee) by Tessa Gratton - This story felt ominous and haunting. I could feel for the main character while she went through figuring out what happened to Annabel.
The Glittering Death (inspired by The Pit and the Pendulum) by Caleb Roehrig - This story felt horror-esque. A modern day serial killer that was a reminder of how much violence happens to women.
The Fall of the Bank of Usher (inspired by The Fall of the House of Usher) by Fran Wilde - This one was just weird, but an interesting read. I don't know why I liked it so much. I think it was the inclusion of the twins Mad and Rik.
I liked what the authors did with these retellings and how they didn't stick to one specific genre. The authors wrote within their wheelhouse, which added to the variety of the stories in the retellings. If Dahlia Adler continues creating these type of anthologies, I will continue to pick them up. They are good and interesting reads and I like the retelling take on old classics.
My three favourite stories were:
Night-Tide (inspired by Annabel Lee) by Tessa Gratton - This story felt ominous and haunting. I could feel for the main character while she went through figuring out what happened to Annabel.
The Glittering Death (inspired by The Pit and the Pendulum) by Caleb Roehrig - This story felt horror-esque. A modern day serial killer that was a reminder of how much violence happens to women.
The Fall of the Bank of Usher (inspired by The Fall of the House of Usher) by Fran Wilde - This one was just weird, but an interesting read. I don't know why I liked it so much. I think it was the inclusion of the twins Mad and Rik.
I liked what the authors did with these retellings and how they didn't stick to one specific genre. The authors wrote within their wheelhouse, which added to the variety of the stories in the retellings. If Dahlia Adler continues creating these type of anthologies, I will continue to pick them up. They are good and interesting reads and I like the retelling take on old classics.
greatolcatsby's review against another edition
3.0
*actual rating: 3.5/5*
She Rode a Horse of Fire by Kendare Blake (inspired by "Metzengerstein") 4/5
It's Carnival! by Tiffany D. Jackson (inspired by "The Cask of Armontillado") 5/5
Night-Tide by Tessa Gratton (inspired by "Annabel Lee") 4/5
The Glittering Death by Caleb Roehrig (inspired by "The Pit and the Pendulum") 4/5
A Drop of Stolen Ink by Emily Lloyd-Jones (inspired by "The Purloined Letter") 3/5
Happy Days, Sweetheart by Stephanie Kuehn (inspired by "The Tell-Tale Heart") 4.5/5
The Raven (Remix) by amanda lovelace 3/5
Changeling by Marieke Nijkamp (inspired by "Hop-Frog") 3/5
The Oval Filter by Lamar Giles (inspired by "The Oval Portrait") 3/5
Red by Hillary Monahan (inspired by "The Masque of the Red Death") 3/5
Lygia by Dahlia Adler (inspired by "Ligeia") 4.5/5
The Fall of the Bank of Usher by Fran Wilde (inspired by "The Fall of the House of Usher") 2/5
The Murders in the Rue Apartelle, Borcay by Rin Chupeco (inspired by "The Murders in the Rue Morgue") 3/5
She Rode a Horse of Fire by Kendare Blake (inspired by "Metzengerstein") 4/5
It's Carnival! by Tiffany D. Jackson (inspired by "The Cask of Armontillado") 5/5
Night-Tide by Tessa Gratton (inspired by "Annabel Lee") 4/5
The Glittering Death by Caleb Roehrig (inspired by "The Pit and the Pendulum") 4/5
A Drop of Stolen Ink by Emily Lloyd-Jones (inspired by "The Purloined Letter") 3/5
Happy Days, Sweetheart by Stephanie Kuehn (inspired by "The Tell-Tale Heart") 4.5/5
The Raven (Remix) by amanda lovelace 3/5
Changeling by Marieke Nijkamp (inspired by "Hop-Frog") 3/5
The Oval Filter by Lamar Giles (inspired by "The Oval Portrait") 3/5
Red by Hillary Monahan (inspired by "The Masque of the Red Death") 3/5
Lygia by Dahlia Adler (inspired by "Ligeia") 4.5/5
The Fall of the Bank of Usher by Fran Wilde (inspired by "The Fall of the House of Usher") 2/5
The Murders in the Rue Apartelle, Borcay by Rin Chupeco (inspired by "The Murders in the Rue Morgue") 3/5
moonpie's review against another edition
3.0
His Hideous Heart is a collection of thirteen Poe stories rewritten by current YA authors—which probably gives you an idea of the overall tone of the reworked pieces. I thought this was a decent collection that didn't quite fulfill its potential; there were four? five? stories I wouldn't have missed if they weren't included, and there were only a couple of standouts that I'll remember three months from now, but it was a neat idea. Could have been worse, could have been better.
(I read this on my Kindle and didn't realize the original Poe versions of the stories were included in the back half of the book. I wish I'd realized it at the start, because ideally I'd have (re)read the Poe version, then read the new spin on it.)
(I read this on my Kindle and didn't realize the original Poe versions of the stories were included in the back half of the book. I wish I'd realized it at the start, because ideally I'd have (re)read the Poe version, then read the new spin on it.)