Rarely do I approach reviews through the eyes of an educator. Part of why I started writing reviews was to have a space where I could discuss Young Adult books for enjoyment away from education. Even after leaving my career, I still try to steer clear of that lens when reviewing books.
Thank you to FlatIron Books and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.
However, I can’t ignore the enormous benefits to English classrooms when discussing His Hideous Heart, edited by Dahlia Adler (Q and A link from last week). With that in mind, through two of my favorite stories, I’m going to give what I found highly entertaining as a reader, and brilliantly beneficial as an educator without writing my own novel.
It was a fantastic structural and contextual addition to have the original works of Edgar Allan Poe in the second half of the book. For those who have some familiarity to, or are completely new to, Poe’s work, you have an easy guide to reference. For educators, this provides numerous variations and opportunities in which students can access both the original and reimagining of Poe’s work.
In the case of stories such as Night-Tide by Tessa Gratton, inspired by Poe’s poem, Annabel Lee, there is an additional opportunity for educators. Not only are there two version of the story, but the structural change of Poe’s poem to Gratton’s prose provides an excellent chance to discuss the impact of format on content.
On the flip side, readers will find Night-Tide one of the most inspired stories in His Hideous Heart. A soaring and heartbreaking tale of young love between Annabel and her girlfriend that was misunderstood and shamed.
Picking the summer after Annabel’s sickness and ultimate death, the narrator arrives with pulse quickening anticipation to see her love. Upon hearing the devastating news, we follow her as she longs for understanding and comfort in the stolen moments, whispered words and shared secrets from the past.
Poe has nothing on Tiffany Jackson. The Carnival is Jackson’s dark and twisty take on Poe’s gothic, vengeful The Cask of Amontillado. Fed up with Darrell’s bullying and filth laced words towards her family’s lineage, she mixes-up (quite literally) some revenge to shut him up.
The cacophony of sounds, the brilliance of colors and aromas of foods from the annual Carnival come to life throughout the story. It collides with the once cocky then slowly changing to palpable fear from in Darrel. While Cindy starts sticky sweet, pulling her prey in like a rattle snake and then going in for the kill.
Dahlia Adler set-out to make Poe’s work more accessible and relatable for today. Along with the authors involved, she accomplished that and much more. These stories are just two examples of what you will find throughout His Hideous Heart. Whether you are an educator or a reader (in the case of the former, I truly hope you are both), there is no shortage of highly charged, entertaining and masterful work being brought forth for all ages.
Great review! Been wanting to get into Poe but putting it off, seems like this would be a good entry point. It’s fabulous that the original stories are included.
Such a cool concept!
Love the cover too????
It is very well done! The cover is very gothic like Poe!
This book sounds better and better every time you post about it, added it to my TBR.
Fantastic! It is so well done! Thank you for the compliment but it is easy to write about such a well done anthology.
Ooh great review! ????
Thank you!
Ah! Now this interests me.
We had read a few Poe’s in english course in high school.. though I didn’t really understood properly as it was a tad « higher » than my skills.
Now being an adult and fully functional in said language, it’d be interesting to go back to his work via the reimagined version and then read the original.
Yay! I think that is one of the best structural features to the book. It was genius to include the original and reimagined versions. It is great to have them to reference.
Agreed! They made a good decision on that one.
Thank you! I hope you get a chance as well! It is a joy to read. Both the stories I was familiar with and those that were new to me, I loved.
I love Poe so I mean, I really have no excuse to not read this after your great review, I was looking forward to your take on this and I’m so glad you liked it!!!
Thank you! Some say I’m going to get you to NOT read a book lol. But Adler and the writers really did do a fantastic job paying tribute to, and providing a marginalized narrative to Poe’s work.