His Hideous Heart

Starred review from July 15, 2019
Presenting 13 reinterpretations of Poe’s works alongside the originals, this enticing anthology offers an accessible, multifaceted reading experience for fans old and new. Some stories—such as Kendare Blake’s “She Rode a Horse of Fire” and Tiffany D. Jackson’s “It’s Carnival!”—serve updated wrappings of Poe’s classic plotlines. Others deconstruct Poe’s pieces in novel ways, such as Tessa Gratton’s lyrical “Night-Tide,” which poignantly delves into themes of queer identity, familial responsibility, and anxiety over the bones of Poe’s famous elegy, “Annabel Lee.” Diverse genres abound—Marieke Nijkamp situates “Changeling,” her fae rendition of Poe’s “Hop-Frog,” in a historical fantasy world that powerfully engages with disability, while Lamar Giles reframes “The Oval Portrait” in “The Oval Filter” through the lens of a football star haunted by the inexplicable death of his almost-girlfriend, an Instagram influencer. And Rin Chupeco’s “The Murders in the Rue Apartelle, Boracay” is the most comedic entry, juxtaposing the mystery of “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” with Filipinx mythology, LGBTQ slang, Lovecraftian references, and romance. A refreshing assortment of diverse voices and contemporary themes ensures there’s something for everyone in this delightful compilation. Ages: 12–up. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary.

August 1, 2019
A genre-bending collection of 13 twists on Edgar Allan Poe's works. Editor Adler (contributor: It's a Whole Spiel, 2019, etc.) does Poe proud with this creepy and atmospheric set of stories inspired by a handful of his most well-known works. All are well worth reading, but there are quite a few standouts, including Rin Chupeco's (contributor: Hungry Hearts, 2019, etc.) ebullient "The Murders in the Rue Apartelle, Boracay," in which an effervescent Filipina trans woman joins up with her dashing new half-French, half-Filipino boyfriend to solve the baffling murders of two American tourists on the island of Boracay. Lamar Giles' (The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, 2019, etc.) unsettling "The Oval Filter" features African American football star Tariq, whose dead girlfriend's distorted images appear on his phone--and they seem to be trying to tell him something. "The Fall of the Bank of Usher" by Fran Wilde (The Fire Opal Mechanism, 2019, etc.) is an adrenaline rush of a tale about assumed white orphans Rik and Mad, brother and sister twins, who must hack their way out of an intimidating Scottish bank for a life-changing prize--a challenge many before them have failed. Strong feminist themes appear throughout, and genres run the gamut from futuristic to gothic and lots in between. Diversity in race, gender identity, and sexuality is well represented. As a bonus, all of the original stories and poems are included. Poe's ghost happily haunts this fresh, delightfully dark collection. (author bios) (Anthology. 14-adult)

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September 1, 2019

Thirteen of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous works are reimagined by YA authors in this compilation of delightfully shivery tales with strong adult crossover appeal. Tessa Gratton's "Night-Tide" reworks "Annabel Lee" in a story about family obligations and a lost love between two teen girls. Kendare Blake's "She Rode a Horse of Fire" recounts an act of dark vengeance enacted by a ghostly woman to a callous young man. "Happy Days, Sweetheart," by Stephanie Kuehn is a retelling of "The Tell-Tale Heart," with a jealous high-school student as the guilty killer of her rival. In "The Oval Filter," by Lamar Giles, a high school football player seeks the answer to who killed his crush, a social media influencer. This collection shines in getting readers to view Poe's work in a new light, featuring characters from diverse ethnic backgrounds, queer protagonists, and other perspectives not represented in the earlier texts. Packaged in the book are the original stories, making comparisons between the old and the new works easy for readers. VERDICT A solid collection of thoroughly modernized Poe classics, recommended for YA shelves and classrooms or for die-hard Poe scholars.--Jennifer Mills, Shorewood-Troy Lib., IL

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 In Adler's inclusive anthology, 13 YA authors honor Edgar Allan Poe's pioneering work in mystery, horror, and science fiction with retellings that emphasize diverse characters, settings, and genres. The most effective stories keep the spirit and themes of Poe's originals while doing something entirely unique. Tessa Gratton, in Night-Tide, keeps the dreamy anguish of Annabelle Lee but reimagines the romance as between two girls summering at a seaside resort. Two authors retell Poe's C. Auguste Dupin mysteries with vastly different styles: Emily Lloyd-Jones sets her take on The Purloined Letter in a technologically advanced future in which the titular letter is an implanted ID, while Rin Chupeco's urban fantasy rendition of The Murders in the Rue Morgue is peppered with Filipinx LGBTQ+ slang. Tiffany Jackson's It's Carnival! ( The Cask of Amontillado ) and Stephanie Kuehn's Happy Days, Sweetheart ( The Tell-Tale Heart ) are straightforward but satisfying female-�centered revenge stories. Several popular authors have stand-out stories in this anthology, and Poe's original tales are reprinted at the back. Poe fans new and old will find stories to appreciate here.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)