In the book, Edgar has a close relationship with Judith, who goes so far as to say that she cares for him as if he were her own son. 'The Raven's Tale' is a flawed book, but the concept is intriguing.īut the biggest difficulty I have with The Raven's Tale is the way it represents slavery. And Edgar learns much of what he knows about muses from an enslaved woman named Judith, who helped raise Edgar and who has an owlish muse of her own. Once a creative person has dedicated themselves to their art, their muse moves into the spirit realm, appearing only in bird form in the corporeal world. But most muses don't linger long in their eerie, human state. Every creative person has one, whether they are hearthside storytellers or singers in the church choir. Muses made manifest aren't unusual in this slightly alternate version of the early 19th century. Lenore is a vision of horror, with raven feathers in her hair and a string of teeth about her neck like jewels, and Edgar can't deny the connection that burns between them. But giving up on his brooding, romantic verse is unthinkable, especially once it gives birth to a flesh and blood muse. The problem is that his foster father will only pay for him to go away to university if he gives up writing. How?Īmerica's most macabre poet is tormented by his muse - literally - in this young adult imagining of Edgar Allan Poe's teenage years.Įdgar can't wait to get out of Richmond, where everyone knows him as a charity case who was taken in by the Allan family after his parents died. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title The Raven's Tale Author Cat Winters

Raven's Tale by T.K. Cassidy