School Library Journal Starred Review

Gr 9 Up-inds adds to his impressive library of graphic novel adaptations with this collection of stories and poems. In "The Masque of the Red Death," a prince holds a massive party inside a fortified castle while his subjects die of plague outside his wallsthat is, until a mysterious stranger appears at the door. In "The Cask of Amontillado," a young man plots revenge against a man who insulted him. In "The Pit and the Pendulum," a frightened man must escape the clutches of the Spanish Inquisition before it's too late, and in "The Tell-Tale Heart," a man is driven to murder by his benefactor's haunting "vulture" eye. Hinds also brings his own interpretation to three poems: "Annabel Lee," a love ode to Poe's dead wife; "The Bells," a poem about the eerie sounds of bells; and, of course, "The Raven," arguably Poe's best-known work. Hinds's vivid, haunting mixed-media illustrations pair perfectly with Poe's unfailingly bleak and terrible tales. Red and black tones are thrown about with controlled force, fully realizing the gothic influences of Poe's writing. Particularly sinister is the artwork that accompanies "The Masque of the Red Death;" the specter that wordlessly passes among the partygoers is terrifying. The adapter's note at the end discusses the selections that were chosen and includes a brief biography of Poe. VERDICT A spellbinding adaptation of one of America's most legendary authors. This volume can easily be worked into literature courses and is a fantastic way to introduce Poe to new readers.Tyler Hixson, Brooklyn Public Library

ALA Booklist (Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

Veteran illustrator Hinds breathes vivid life into seven of Edgar Allan Poe's most well-known stories and poems in his latest adaptation. Faithfully preserving the gothic tone of the original texts, from the macabre endpapers filled with symbols of death to the twisted anguished faces found throughout its pages, the author never shies away from the darkness found there, instead distilling Poe's fascination with madness, death, and terror into single haunting images: a sliver of lamplight shines on a milky blue eye in "The Tell-Tale Heart," and a shadowy black raven haunts a solitary figure reminiscent of Poe in its namesake poem. Color is used to full effect in each story; the garish colors of an ill-fated party foreshadow impending doom, while the saturated red surrounding a man about to die only serves to heighten the emotional intensity. Title pages include a key to the main themes and year of publication, while an author's note provides an overview of Poe's life and insight into each story and poem. A welcome addition for fans of graphic horror.

Horn Book

Graphic novelist Hinds tackles the work of Edgar Allan Poe, adapting three poems and four stories. Each entry's title page lists pertinent themes and tropes. Hinds's adaptations lean heavily on the original language with an eye toward accessibility. Varied illustrations are a good match for Poe's atmospheric blend of horror and mystery, and color and striking imagery are used to great effect.

Kirkus Reviews

Graphic-novel veteran Hinds turns his astute eye to Poe's best-known tales.After reimagining many classics including Beowulf, The Odyssey, and a smattering of Shakespeare's plays, Hinds now takes on the poems and stories of Edgar Allan Poe. In "The Cask of Amontillado," a dark palette suffused with ominous shadows and fiery earthen reds depicts the unnamed, white narrator as he leads foolhardy Fortunato into his own airless death. Those familiar with "The Tell-Tale Heart" will be delighted to watch the psychological drama unfold as Hinds conceptualizes the famously grisly details while playing with visually striking splashes of color to further accentuate the terror. Hinds also visualizes three of Poe's poems: "Annabel Lee," "The Raven," and "The Bells," though these poems stray from a traditional graphic-novel format, eschewing panels for expansive, page-filling illustrations with the verse text set against them. At the beginning of each piece, Hinds plainly lays out the recurring thematic elements of horror from his own "Poe Checklist"; for example "The Masque of the Red Death" warns its readers of "death, disease, and scary sounds." Also included are historical notes about Poe and each vignette, making this volume equally valuable for classroom use or for independent reading. Befittingly dark, atmospheric, and evocative. (Graphic adaptation. 12-adult)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Having previously created rich graphic adaptations of The Odyssey, Beowulf, and several of Shakespeare-s works, Hinds brings a handful of Poe-s poems and short stories to grisly visual life. Focusing on seven of the writer-s most famous pieces-including -The Masque of the Red Death,- -The Raven,- and -The Cask of Amontillado--Hinds uses distinct visual styles to draw out the mood and tone for each. Full-page charcoal panels amplify an atmosphere of bleak despair in -The Raven,- while screaming red display type (-thub dub thub dub-) creates a growing sense of mania in -The Tell-Tale Heart.- And although -The Pit and the Pendulum- opens in near-total darkness, the horrors of the captive-s situation gradually becomes clearer as Hinds lets dim light in. In a neat detail, each story opens with a legend indicating recurring themes (death, fire, and scary sounds in -The Bells-) so readers know what to expect; Hinds further reflects on and contextualizes each story in endnotes. Hinds doesn-t sugarcoat the blood and gore in these stories and poems-each haunting sequence is rife with tension and dread. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)