Nevermore by Kelly Creagh & the works of Edgar Allan Poe

Since Halloween is less than a week away, we thought this would be the perfect time to feature the works of Edgar Allan Poe. But if you think Poe is a bit inaccessible, think again. Just check out Nevermore by Kelly Creagh – the first in a new paranormal trilogy that prominently features Poe and his work.

Here’s what the book is about:

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

In the book, Isobel and Varen are working on a project about Poe — but the writer’s work is much more than part of the back story. As the synopsis suggests, the worlds created by Poe manifest themselves in terrifying ways — ways that haunt both Isobel and Varen.

And while the book is enjoyable on its own, you can get so much more out of the Isobel & Varen’s story by exploring the works of Edgar Allan Poe yourself. And luckily, you can find most of his work for free online!

Here are a few pieces that feature prominently in Nevermore and a few others that are simply are worth checking out:

The Raven

You know the line, “Quoth the Raven, ‘Nevermore.'” And this is where it came from read the whole poem to understand the line in contest!

The Masque of the Red Death

The “Red Death” is a plague which has killed off half of the population. Prince Prospero gathers a thousand people from the knights and royalty. They seal themselves off from the rest of the world in an extensive castle, in an attempt to separate themselves from the horrible conditions on the outside. But, can they escape the Red Death?

The Tell-Tale Heart

The narrator of this story tells you his “perfect” plan to kill an old man, then takes you through the process of doing it. He might get away with it too except he starts hearing things…

The Black Cat

A drunk man kills his cat and it comes back to haunt him. In Poe’s usual style, the narrator of the story is the killer and we see things through his eyes. Quite a horrific tale.

The Fall of the House of Usher

One of the most widely read of Poe’s stories. The narrator receives a desperate letter from a “boyhood friend” requesting that he come to see him. The friend, a mister Roderick Usher, lives in a very old mansion out near a swamp. Once inside, the narrator finds more than he expected. A classic story of a creepy guy living in a haunted house.

See more online at Poe Stories.

For the Comments: Do you have a favorite story or poem by Edgar Allan Poe? Tell us about it!