Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Madness [Hardcover]

Edgar Allan Poe (Author), Gris Grimly (Author)

Book Description

A sweet little cat drives a man to insanity and murder....

The grim death known as the plague roams a masquerade ball dressed in red....

A dwarf seeks his final revenge on his captors....

A sister calls to her beloved twin from beyond the grave....

Prepare yourself. You are about to enter a world where you will be shocked, terrified, and, though you'll be too scared to admit it at first, secretly thrilled. Here are four tales -- The Black Cat, The Masque of the Red Death, Hop-Frog, and The Fall of the House of Usher -- by the master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. The original tales have been ever so slightly dismembered -- but, of course, Poe understood dismemberment very well. And he would shriek in ghoulish delight at Gris Grimly's gruesomely delectable illustrations that adorn every page. So prepare yourself. And keep the lights on.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up–Grimly's deliciously malevolent illustrations are the perfect complement to Poe's macabre stories. Four of the writer's most popular tales are presented in an abridged format: "The Black Cat," "The Masque of the Red Death," "Hop-Frog," and "The Fall of the House of Usher." The watercolor and pen-and-ink artwork is populated with deftly drawn cartoon humans, animals, and other beings, many with grotesque or sinister expressions. The pictures cover, crisscross, or circle the margins of the pages and are often contained in ornate art-deco frames along with small blocks of text. Libraries needing an additional copy of Poe's writings should consider this one.–Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 7-12. Archetypal horror writer Poe has received a variety of graphically enhanced treatments in recent years, including a volume in Eureka Productions' Rosebud Graphic Classics series (2001) and Jonathan Scott Fuqua's In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe (DC Comics, 2002). This exceptionally well-produced collection of four tales will, perhaps, reach a wider audience. The gently abridged retellings are in Poe's original language, and Grimly's wonderfully ghastly, full-color spot and full-page art splendidly depicts the mayhem that leads to murder in "The Black Cat," the partying in the "The Masque of the Red Death," the vicious genius of "Hop-Frog," and the dual connotations of "The Fall of the House of Usher." In addition to varied sizes and presentation of images, Grimly uses different typefaces to set off aspects of the narratives, which flow across the pages in the traditional manner rather than appearing in comics-style panels. With high-production values and gothic sensibilities thoroughly reflected in both text and art, this is an essential purchase for libraries. Adults can use it to lead young people to some great literature; readers will pluck it off the shelves themselves for creepy, entertaining fun. Francisca Goldsmith
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (August 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689848374
• ISBN-13: 978-0689848377
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it for the Art..., November 29, 2004

By 

Tim Hewitt (Columbia, SC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Madness (Hardcover)

There are a multitude of Poe's out there to choose from, but the real draw here is the art of Gris Grimly. The book features slightly abridged texts for young readers of "The Black Cat," "The Masque of the Red Death," "Hop Frog," and "The Fall of the House of Usher." What makes this volume special is the way that text is embraced by and woven through Grimly's gloriously whimsical and twisted full color art that captures perfectly the macabre and maniacle tone of Poe. The volume is richly illustrated with art on every page. All in all a beautiful book and a great introduction to Poe for young readers of twisted tastes.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning artwork, January 21, 2005

By 

Papa Hemingway - See all my reviews

This review is from: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Madness (Hardcover)

This is a great collection for Edgar Allen Poe fans and children's book collectors alike. Grimly's art has the wildness of Ralph Steadman and the darkness of Edward Gorey.

It is worth noting that although it is a picture book, some of the imagery and definitely the Poe stories themselves are graphic, so maybe don't cuddle up with your five year old with this one.... Older kids, especially these days, should have no problem.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Horror Review, May 24, 2005

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Madness (Hardcover)

I read Edgar A. Poe's Tales of Mystery and Madness. This book has 4 stories; Black Cat, The Masque of the Red Death, Hop Frog, and The Fall of the House of Usher. I won't go into detail about all the stories but my favorite story was The Masque of the Red Death.

The story starts with people who were having a masquerade at Prince Prospero's house. Each hour the clock chimed. At the 12th chime a person in a red cape came out of the clock and frightened everyone at the masquerade. Prince Prospero tried to kill him but the Prince died when he saw his face. Then, anyone who saw his face or dared to enter the red blood shot room died by bleeding to death. Will anyone survive? You will have to read it yourself to find out.

I though all of the stories in the book were scary and cool. I also thought the illustrations by Chris Grimley were very creative. I would recommend for anyone who likes horror to read this book.

David - age 9