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Federico DN's Reviews > The Fall of the House of Usher

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe
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bookshelves: classics, horror, almost-fav, best-short-stories, free-domain, shorts

Some fall!

An unnamed character receives a letter from an old friend beseeching to urgently visit him at his mansion. A strange malady has befallen Roderick and Madeline Usher, last descendants of the prestigious Usher family.

This was a very decent short read. A strange beginning, followed by an interesting middle, and culminated with a terrific horrific ending. Quite gripping, and moderately paced. Admirable prose; not exactly easy to read, but great nonetheless. A masterpiece of the immortal Poe, considered along with The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat, and The Cask of Amontillado, one of his best works ever. A fairly recommendable read, for the classical horror aficionado.

*** House of Usher (1960) is an acceptable adaptation at best. The movie seriously deviates from the original plot, but in a refreshing innovative way. The general idea is honored, but unlike the book, Madeline Usher takes a major protagonism in the film as a love interest of the narrator, Winthrop. Admirable performance by Price as Roderick, and an okayish Damon and Fahey. The special effects were a bit lacking, although consistent with the era it was filmed. The film score felt awkward and sometimes very out of place. An interesting adaptation, not exactly faithful to the book, but good enough to watch.

It’s public domain. You can find it

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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1839] [36p] [Horror] [3.5] [Recommendable]
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★★★☆� The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
★★☆☆� The Complete Stories and Poems
★★★☆� The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings
★★★☆� The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales
★☆☆☆� The Raven and Other Poems

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¡Alta caída!

Un no nombrado personaje recibe una carta de un viejo amigo rogándole visitarlo urgentemente en su mansión. Una extraña enfermedad ha caído sobre Roderick y Madeline Usher, últimos descendientes de la prestigiosa familia Usher.

Esta fue una lectura corta muy decente. Un extraño comienzo, seguido por un interesante desarrollo, y culminado con un ڲԳáپ horrorífico final. Bastante atrapante, y de ritmo moderado. Prosa admirable; no exactamente fácil de leer, pero sin embargo genial. Una pieza maestra del inmortal Poe, considerada junto con El Corazón Delator, El Gato Negro, y El Barril de Amontillado, uno de sus mejores obras jamás. Una lectura bastante recomendable, para el aficionado del terror clásico.

*** Casa de Usher (1960) es una aceptable adaptación cuando mucho. La película se desvía seriamente de la trama original, pero en una forma refrescante e innovadora. La idea general es honrada, pero a diferencia del libro, Madeline Usher adquiere un gran protagonismo en la película como un interés de amor del narrador, Winthrop. Actuación admirable de Price como Roderick, y un regular Damon y Fahey. Los efectos especiales fueron algo flojos, pero consistentes con la era en que fue filmada. La música se sintió extraña y a veces muy fuera de lugar. Una interesante adaptación, no exactamente fiel al libro, pero suficientemente buena para verla.

Es dominio público. Lo pueden encontrar

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NOTA PERSONAL :
[1839] [36p] [Terror] [Recomendable]
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Reading Progress

December 30, 2022 – Started Reading
December 30, 2022 – Shelved
January 13, 2023 – Finished Reading

Comments Showing 1-50 of 77 (77 new)


message 1: by inciminci (new)

inciminci Oh this is on my radar! Thank you for the review and the link, I think now I want to read it next!


message 2: by Paul (new)

Paul Ataua Good review! 'Tell tale heart' is my favorite.


Federico DN inciminci wrote: "Oh this is on my radar! Thank you for the review and the link, I think now I want to read it next!"

Thank you Inci! Hope you like it! The link was broken but now it's fixed :p


message 4: by Federico (last edited Jan 13, 2023 06:01AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Federico DN Paul wrote: "Good review! 'Tell tale heart' is my favorite."

Thank you Paul! Hoping to read that one soon :D


message 5: by Srivalli (new)

Srivalli Rekha Tell tale heart is wow. Sounds like this was a good read too. There's a movie too? Woo, had no idea.


Federico DN Srivalli wrote: "Tell tale heart is wow. Sounds like this was a good read too. There's a movie too? Woo, had no idea."

Thank you Srivalli! The Tell-Tale Heart is soon next. Apparently there are many adaptations, but I think the 1960 version is the one to watch. Not to mention the upcoming Netflix series.


message 7: by Berengaria (new)

Berengaria I agree, The Tell Tale Heart is a brilliant read. One of is absolute best!


message 8: by A (new)

A Mac Glad you enjoyed this one so much! I've been meaning to reread some Poe, so it was fun seeing this pop up in my feed - excellent review!


Federico DN Berengaria wrote: "I agree, The Tell Tale Heart is a brilliant read. One of is absolute best!"

Timeless classical, or so I hear. Hoping to read that one soon as well :D


message 10: by Han (new)

Han Thanks for the movie recommendation too! Great review!


message 11: by Federico (last edited Jan 13, 2023 07:26AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Federico DN A wrote: "Glad you enjoyed this one so much! I've been meaning to reread some Poe, so it was fun seeing this pop up in my feed - excellent review!"

Thank you Mac! I guess this one or any of the other mentioned is word rereading. And I remember you fiercely defending "The Cask of Amontillado" lol


Federico DN Hanna wrote: "Thanks for the movie recommendation too! Great review!"

Thank you Hanna! Hope you like it :)


message 13: by Srivalli (new)

Srivalli Rekha Federico wrote: "Apparently there are many adaptations, but I think the 1960 version is the one to watch. Not to mention the upcoming Netflix series."

Ohh okay. I don't have much idea about movies (TV shows). Hope it is as good as the short story. :)


message 14: by A. (new)

A. Alta historia. Me alegra que la disfrutaras, Fede. Muy linda reseña.
Mi hija menor se negó a leer cuentos de Poe durante años porque su madre (no sé quién será esa tórpida mujer...) le leyó "El Corazón Delator" a los 6 años 😂 (por lo menos se ve que lo entendió...)
Bueno, pero usted ya está más grandecito, Fede, así que no se va a asustar. Espero.
😏


message 15: by Tina (new)

Tina Glad you enjoyed this. Nice review Federico!


message 16: by Federico (last edited Jan 13, 2023 08:48AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Federico DN A. wrote: "Alta historia. Me alegra que la disfrutaras, Fede. Muy linda reseña.
Mi hija menor se negó a leer cuentos de Poe durante años porque su madre (no sé quién será esa tórpida mujer...) le leyó "El Co..."


A los 6 años jajja. Su madre seguramente estaba ansiosa por inculcarle las verdades los horores del mundo xD. Pero bueno ahora que estamos todos grandecitos ya podemos disfrutar del amigo Poe tranquilamente, que es prácticamente un caramelo comparado con las cosas que se escriben estos días. Gracias Lady A. <3


Federico DN Tina wrote: "Glad you enjoyed this. Nice review Federico!"

Thank you Tina!


message 18: by Diane (new)

Diane Wallace Great review, Federico! ;)


Federico DN Diane wrote: "Great review, Federico! ;)"

Thank you Diane !


message 20: by Alexandra (new)

Alexandra This is a great story! I remember how I devoured it ;) Nice to hear that you enjoyed it.


Federico DN Thank you Alexandra! Glad to hear you liked it too :D


message 22: by Katerina (new)

Katerina This was a great story! Hard to read, agree to that! Great review!


message 23: by Federico (last edited Jan 13, 2023 09:40AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Federico DN Katerina wrote: "This was a great story! Hard to read, agree to that! Great review!"

Thank you Katerina :) !


message 24: by Jan (new)

Jan I need to get off my butt and read some Poe! Fab review, Federico!


Federico DN Jan wrote: "I need to get off my butt and read some Poe! Fab review, Federico!"

Thank you Jan! It's merely 36 pages so you don't need to get off your butt for too long lol.


message 26: by Ellie (new)

Ellie Spencer (catching up from hiatus) I really need to try Poe, this sounds like such an excellent and quick read! I am so glad you enjoyed it Federico! Wonderful review! 🙂


Federico DN Ellie wrote: "I really need to try Poe, this sounds like such an excellent and quick read! I am so glad you enjoyed it Federico! Wonderful review! 🙂"

Quick and painless... sort of xD. Thank you Ellie!


message 28: by Rosh (new)

Rosh Nice review, Federico! I am not a big Poe fan, but Tell-Tale Heart is one of my all-time favourite short stories. Will await your thoughts on it whenever you get to it. In the meantime, saving this link in my bookmarks. :)


message 29: by Yani (new) - rated it 4 stars

Yani Daniele La caída de la casa Usher es uno de mis favoritos del autor. Aunque el que más "escalofríos" me ha dado es Hop Frog


Federico DN Rosh [busy week: trying to catch up!] wrote: "Nice review, Federico! I am not a big Poe fan, but Tell-Tale Heart is one of my all-time favourite short stories. Will await your thoughts on it whenever you get to it. In the meantime, saving this..."

Thank you Rosh! You are to nice for horror lol. Will try the Tell-Tale Heart when I get a chance. Hope this one doesn't scare you too much if you ever get to it ;)


Federico DN Yani wrote: "La caída de la casa Usher es uno de mis favoritos del autor. Aunque el que más "escalofríos" me ha dado es Hop Frog"

Tengo una colección de Poe dando vueltas, espero encontrar ese ahí. Gracias Yani !


message 32: by Tom (new) - rated it 5 stars

Tom Lewis Great review Federico! The ending was definitely horrific.


message 33: by Carmen (new)

Carmen Great review.


Federico DN Tom wrote: "Great review Federico! The ending was definitely horrific."

THAT ENDING o.O ! Thank you Tom ! Glad you loved it too :D


Federico DN Carmen wrote: "Great review."

Thank you Carmen !


message 36: by Chantel (new)

Chantel oh wow! so happy to see this was so enjoyable for youuuuuu & thanks for linking the story! sounds so promising :) x


Federico DN Chantel wrote: "oh wow! so happy to see this was so enjoyable for youuuuuu & thanks for linking the story! sounds so promising :) x"

Classical horror at its finest. Thank you Chantel !


Federico DN Randall wrote: "Yay! It always makes me happy when someone enjoys reading Edgar Allan Poe."

It's a good one. Thank you Randall !


message 39: by Rachel (new)

Rachel Hanes Great review Federico! I definitely need to read some Edgar Allan Poe. I have never read anything from him yet, but he is on my list! :)


Federico DN Rachel wrote: "Great review Federico! I definitely need to read some Edgar Allan Poe. I have never read anything from him yet, but he is on my list! :)"

Thank you Rachel! Just last year was my first time reading Lovecraft, so you know, the day does eventually arrive on its own :)


message 41: by Dann (new) - rated it 3 stars

Dann *gasps* How did come across this one before “The Tell-tale Heart�?? I’ve never seen that happen before XD


message 42: by Sarah (new)

Sarah Terrific (concise) review, Federico!

In related news: My cousin's kids LOVE Poe, and one year for Halloween, her son dressed up as Poe, and her daughter as the raven. None of the kids at school knew who they "were," but Daun and I thought they were the coolest kids EVER!




message 43: by Pang (new) - added it

Pang Catching up! YAHOOO!! xD xD :D Ahhh horror? I read your review. At first, I even think it's Gothic or something like that! xD


Federico DN Dann wrote: "*gasps* How did come across this one before “The Tell-tale Heart�?? I’ve never seen that happen before XD"

At this point that one will be the last lol xD


Federico DN Sarah wrote: "Terrific (concise) review, Federico!

In related news: My cousin's kids LOVE Poe, and one year for Halloween, her son dressed up as Poe, and her daughter as the raven. None of the kids at school k..."


Coolest kids indeed lol :D


Federico DN Pang wrote: "Ahhh horror? I read your review. At first, I even think it's Gothic or something like that! xD"

I read many reviews saying it's gothic. Can it be both? Gothic horror xD? Honestly I don't know how to distinguish between the two genres, I guess I'll have to research that lol


message 47: by Shey (new)

Shey Glad you enjoyed this, Federico! I hope you find more enjoyable reads. #AvoidTheMeh 😏💖


Axl Oswaldo Muy buena reseña, Fede.
Me alegra que te haya gustado este cuento tanto como a mí; el final es uno de esos momentos que, a pesar del tiempo, no he olvidado, y seguirá conmigo seguro. Saludos y ten buenas lecturas! :)


message 49: by Federico (last edited Jan 13, 2023 11:46PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Federico DN Shey wrote: "Glad you enjoyed this, Federico! I hope you find more enjoyable reads. #AvoidTheMeh 😏💖"

Trying to, but Meh is part of life lol. Thank you Shey :)


Federico DN Axl Oswaldo wrote: "Muy buena reseña, Fede.
Me alegra que te haya gustado este cuento tanto como a mí; el final es uno de esos momentos que, a pesar del tiempo, no he olvidado, y seguirá conmigo seguro. Saludos y ten..."


Ese final es ciertamente inolvidable. Gracias Axl! Saludos!


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