4 stars
This is a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous tales. I have never thought about what Poe’s work would be like it were translated into a manga medium, but I’m glad that I decided to request this on Netgalley because I have been a fan of the Manga Classics series, but I am also a fan of Poe. The two combinations cohesively melded together and made this collection very enjoyable. There was only one story in this collection that I did not like seeing brought to life, but besides that one failure, this collection is incredibly impressive and does a fantastic job of bringing Poe’s ominous style to life through haunting visuals.
The Tell-Tale Heart (Illustrated by Virginia Nitouhei) – 4.5 stars
I loved seeing this one brought to life, but it didn’t translate the lyrical suspense Poe relies heavily on in the story. I think that visuals took away from that hysterical maddening pace. I still really enjoyed the art in this one and there were times where I was chilled to the bone.
The Cask of Amontillado (Illustrated by Chagen) – 5 stars
This is one of my favorite Poe stories and it was so fun to see this brought to life. I’ve read this story multiple times now, so seeing it in a new medium really enhanced my appreciation for this tale and it was horrifying to see in images.
The Raven (Illustrated by pikomaro) – 4.5 stars
I don’t think that poetry translates well into manga. However, the final scene was incredible and it encapsulates the entirety of the story. That final image pretty much won me over and I can’t give it a lower rating because of that.
The Masque of the Red Death (Illustrated by Uka Nagao) – 4.25 stars
This was my first time reading this story and I think that because I have not read the original material the manga formatting confuddled me a bit. I was particularly confused by the plot, but I still really enjoyed reading this and I think it’s a haunting story.
The Fall of the House of Usher (Illustrated by Man Yiu) – 2 stars
I love this story, but it does not translate well into manga. There is a massive amount of description in the original story and it was attempted to be included in the panels. This made the experience very overwhelming and chaotic.
Art Scale (Overall Collection): 4
Overall, I definitely recommend this collection especially if you love Edgar Allan Poe. There were a lot of wonderful illustrations sprinkled throughout the pieces and it really captures Poe’s macabre vibe.
Cover Thoughts: It’s a nice cover, but it only uses art from The Tell-Tale Heart. I think if it had pieces from each story that would be much more inviting.
Thank you, Netgalley and Udon Entertainment, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Are you a fan of Edgar Allan Poe? Are you interested in picking up this manga adaptation? Let me know down below in the comments.
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