Nevermore [Paperback]

Harold Schechter (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: New York: Pocket Books,; Uncorrected proof. edition (1999)
• ASIN: B000U2CNPI
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Harold Schechter is a professor of American literature and culture. Renowned for his true-crime writing, he is the author of the nonfiction books Fatal, Fiend, Bestial, Deviant, Deranged, Depraved, and, with David Everitt, The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. He is also the author of Nevermore and The Hum Bug, the acclaimed historical novels featuring Edgar Allan Poe. He lives in New York State.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Read, February 14, 2000

By 

"mcgintus" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nevermore (Mass Market Paperback)

Though the partnership of Poe and Crocket is unlikely to have ever worked, the premise is fun. The author must have had enjoyed working the numerous references to Poe's stories into the details and plot of Nevermore. As a fan of Poe, I delighted in Schechter's attempt to duplicate the stilted and often tedious writing structure used by Poe - it made the first person narrative work. The whonunnit aspect of the book is somewhat contrived and rather anti-climactic, but the read is still enjoyable.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for us younger guys too....., January 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Nevermore (Mass Market Paperback)

I suffer from an auditory processing disability which makes it rough getting through most books. My concentration and comprehension in layman's terms is just lousy. However, I found this book so fascinating that I could hardly put it down. Schechter's words describe the action in such a clear and dramatic style that you feel as though you're there watching all the action. He combines all the stuff I learned about Poe this past year in eighth grade Lit. and molds it into a creative masterpiece that even Poe, the toughest of critics would give a great review. I can hardly wait till Schechter's next book. I hear he teams Poe up with P.T. Barnum!! Cool!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars poor reviewers who missed the point!, July 3, 2001

By 

Maria Jette (excelsior, mn USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nevermore (Mass Market Paperback)

I read through the many reviews of this book, astonished at the number of people who apparently missed the point (or the several points). Like several of those who DID get it, I laughed almost continuously, as would most readers had any fondness for or familiarity with the era's writing style (ergo the use of italics, which I found hilarious, likewise the exclamation points which ended almost every chapter). I was more than impressed at the thoroughness of the author's grasp of the style, in fact, and really savored his skill in capturing the flavor of Poe.

I found the Poe characterization charming, unlike some who found him tedious-- every time he rhapsodized about his manly prowess in some "pugilistic art," he got woozy at the point of action and had to be rescued by Crockett; also, he would ramble on in high-flown style, only to have Crockett or some other normal person paraphrase it for us. I really enjoyed the endless Crockettisms, too-- along the lines of the recent election debacle's catch-phrase, "nibbled to death by a duck."

I should note that I bought this book to serve as a theatrical prop-- it was remaindered (hardcover) at a B&N, and worked perfectly as Gerald McBoing-Boing's schoolbook in a kids' show. Rather than pack it away, I read it-- and really enjoyed it, enough to want to check out the reviews..., and seeing the misinterpretations of so many readers, am now defending it!

In conclusion-- this is NOT a historical account of anything, it's not a standard mystery novel, it's not an exploration of some long-lost serial killer's psyche. It's a very funny parody of Poe, his stories, poems and writing style, VERY cleverly interwoven with a respectable murder mystery.