Northshire Bookstore Review(s)
Reviewed By... Ashley Middlebrook
Poe's only, and disturbingly wonderful, novel chronicles the journey of Arthur Gordon Pym, a sheltered young man from Nantucket who's life has left him longing for adventure on the open seas. Pym stows away on a ship bound for Antarctica, however, he has no idea what he is in for. Uncharted Islands crawling with local savages, mutiny, and tenuous friendships abound as Pym and his odd assortment of companions make their way south. Written in the form of a journal, this Gothic novella makes such things as murder and cannibalism poetic in a way that only Edgar Allen Poe can achieve.
Reviewed By... Nancy Scheemaker
This surprising novel was a departure from the Poe I thought I knew - author of The Tell Tale Heart, A Cask of Amontillado, The Murders in the Rue Morgue. I was expecting some kind of mystery, a dive into the demented mind of a serial killer, another story advancing this writer's talent for capturing the suspense and awesome poetry he found in the macabre.
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym is an elaborate "high sea" adventure, a "coming of age" story which launches from the shores of Nantucket, where Arthur Gordon Pym has lived out his peaceful childhood in a loving, working class household. He is entranced by the surrounding ocean and reverently awed by the excitement of the whaling industry. As a young adult he befriends the son of a Sea Captain, Augustus Barnard. This companionship leads Pym on two high sea adventures that would both threaten his life, and ultimately result in the death of Augustus. Their first late night voyage on a small skiff named Ariel ensues after a bout of drinking at an elaborate party when they are seduced by the haunting sound of the waves and ocean breeze. Pym's adoration for Augustus, always driven by an adventurous spirit, blinds him as to just how impaired Augustus really is on this night, ultimately leaving Pym at the helm of this small sailing vessel as it is dragged out to sea by a raging storm. A much lager vessel runs them down in the night, capsizing the Ariel, and at the last moment saving, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, the lives of Pym and Augustus. Instead of learning from this razor thin brush with death, (it must be a "guy" thing), Pym once again agrees to partake in the schemes of Augustus. His friend arranges to secret Pym away in the hold of his father's whaling ship for a long enough period of time so that when he emerges on deck, the Captain will not turn the ship back to Nantucket. Augustus becomes trapped below due to a mutiny - runs out of candles, healthy air, food, and water. Eventually emerging on deck, Pym endures the wrath of the sea, wicked pirates, starvation, and the drawing of straws to decide who will die to feed the others. Surviving this round of cannibalism, Pym and the remaining survivors are rescued by a Dutch vessel which begins an entirely new adventure exploring unseen territory around the Cape of Good Hope. (This last adventure was my least favorite of the others. It was difficult to transition from Poe's vivid descriptions of men starving and dehydrating in the relentless sun to an observation of penguins and various forms of bird life. Really strange.)
All-in-all, I had a fun time absorbing this book, admiring the writing, and settling in for the fictional ride. It is not my favorite Poe piece, but would certainly recommend the title under the right circumstance.
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