Ligeia is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe and first published in 1838. Ligeia is widely considered to be one of the top 100 greatest books...
read full description
reviews
Jan 12, 2012
Kell
rated it: 
Like The Pit and the Pendulum, Ligeia felt a little claustrophobic to me, with much of the action happening in one room, but it seemed there was precious little action and very little actual plot.
Once again, there were some chilling moments, such as the description of the narrator’s wives as they descend into death, but overall, I felt the story was lacking in real thrills, or even slight shivers.
Poe’s writing is completely failing to grip me.
It has been suggested b More...
Once again, there were some chilling moments, such as the description of the narrator’s wives as they descend into death, but overall, I felt the story was lacking in real thrills, or even slight shivers.
Poe’s writing is completely failing to grip me.
It has been suggested b More...
Nov 02, 2010
Charlie
rated it: 
Poe, most known for his dark and Gothic tone throughout his various poems and stories, continues this tradition in Ligeia. Although short in length, i had to read it a few times to fully gain an understanding of the story and the various devices Poe uses. What I've learned from Poe's Ligeia is the role the unreliable narrator plays in the development of the plot as a whole. Poe strategically places elements throughout the story that indicate that the narrator may be delusional from the opium he
More...
Feb 06, 2011
Darren
rated it: 
Descriptive detail is the key to this short story. Not only is it an exciting read, but Poe does a marvellous job in stretching out long sentences in a way that emphasizes the dark and dreary aspects of the story. He continuously builds and builds through his focus on the minute particualrs of the surrounding scenery which adds an eerie quality to the main character's mood. The eerieness mentioned is critically important in contributing towards the impact of the ending, in which there is absolut
More...
Jan 29, 2012
sabisteb
rated it:
Poe versucht noch immer zu Beweisen, wer er wirklich ist. Nachdem er in Teil 30 Hinweise auf eine möglicherweise noch lebende Schwester erhalten hat, macht er sich mit Leonie auf die Reise nach Baltimore. Er gibt sich als Schriftsteller aus, der eine Biografie über Edgar Allan Poe schreiben will und wird an einen seltsamen Buchhändler verwiesen, der vernarrt in Poes Mutter Elizabeth Poe war.
Obwohl der Auftakt der neuen Staffel durchaus gelungen ist, bewegt es sich doch auf altbekannten More...
Obwohl der Auftakt der neuen Staffel durchaus gelungen ist, bewegt es sich doch auf altbekannten More...
Jan 15, 2012
Lisa
rated it: 
A love story turned nightmare, Ligeia is the narrator's first wife, & the love of his life, which you can see in the descriptions. The charming tale of boundless love & joy turns to despair at her death, & his relocation to the north of England, to an antique abbey that he remodels the interior of in sumptuous, eclectic fashion, & brings his second wife, apparently a local heiress, to. It is what happens in the hours immediately following HER death that lend to the inherent creepiness of the e
More...
May 06, 2011
Adam
rated it:
"Ligeia" is a great story combining elements of substance abuse and reality.
What makes it great is that the line between reality and fiction are blurred that the reader is left to guess. Poe does not spell it out for you adding to the mystery of the peice.
What makes it great is that the line between reality and fiction are blurred that the reader is left to guess. Poe does not spell it out for you adding to the mystery of the peice.
Jan 16, 2009
Megan
rated it:
Typical Poe. I never thought that I would enjoy anything of Poe but after I, or me readin for an American Literature class, made myself read some of Poe's works, I like him. Ligeia is dark and not the happiest story but I liked it anyway.
Sep 28, 2011
Ashley
rated it:
I read this as a kind of love story; my classmates read it as utterly creepy. I saw the ending as a literal event; my classmates read it as a hallucination. Is there something wrong with me? Probably. Ligeia is awesome. End of story.
Aug 22, 2011
Bridget
rated it:
Crazy story of a man who loves his wife Ligeia, but she dies and he remarries Rowena of Tremaine, who also dies and her corpse awakens as Ligeia.
The descriptions of Ligeia in the beginning are so elaborate and I like them.
The descriptions of Ligeia in the beginning are so elaborate and I like them.
Mar 26, 2007
Jen
rated it:
I'm obsessed with Poe. I wasn’t a huge fan when I would read his stories in English classes growing up, but as I read them now, I love the mix of light and dark and strangeness and beauty that is in all his work. His language is beautiful and rich. The descriptions of the women he obsesses about in his stories are particularly lovely, and there is something deliciously terrifying and honest about all the macabre madness. If you have a short attention span (like me), start with his poems. Th
More...
Jun 24, 2010
Elise
rated it:
Read through Daily Lit. A thing of beauty transformed into a thing of ugliness. It was very interesting.
Jan 26, 2009
Sara
rated it:
Wonderfully written, I especially enjoyed Poe's description style in this story.
Apr 22, 2009
May
rated it:
Not really my cuppa. I found it tedious this first reading. I might try it again another day.
Feb 17, 2011
Fairly typical Poe short story, overly wordy with supernatural elements and a tortured soul.
Feb 12, 2012
Feb 11, 2012
Feb 06, 2012
