Reviews

A descent into the maelström by Edgar Allan Poe

nourhan09's review against another edition

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3.0

It was my first experience with the writer Edgar Allan Poe,
I tried to listen the book in Arabic, but I could not fit in with the story, So I tried listening it in its English language, and the result was much better.
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The events of the short story revolve around the suffering of the sailors at that time, and how they risked their lives every day for living.
Between the angry waves of the sea, and the frightening storm, a survivor tells us the details of his horrific story and how he managed to escape from it.
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The story is simple, and ordinary, but if you take the idea and apply it to your daily life, you will find it great.
We always try to study every step of the day, decide everything and try to avoid every possible mistake.
But sometimes you just can't stay on the safe line all the time.
You should jump into the hobby, risk everything you have to earn a better life.
Because if you stay where you are, waiting for everything to change as you want without risking, you will make sure that you missed the perfect opportunity to live the life you deserve and which you have been waiting for your whole life.

lillowo's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

The short story was an interesting and gripping look at a Maelstrom and I was struck by how blatant our guide explains the malestrom and what he went through with it. He talks so blatantly about the death of his brothers during this accident which only adds to the indescribable horror that you read in between the lines as he's talking about his incident and as we hear the narrator's research. It was a really interesting read!

bumblebusra's review against another edition

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3.0

i sure do hope mister edgar allan poe is right about how to survive a whirlpool because this will be all i think about next time i am on a boat 

zuhanyh23's review against another edition

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adventurous tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.75

nebbit's review against another edition

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adventurous tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

andredias's review against another edition

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4.0

A story within a story, this sea tale takes place in the Norwegian seas (Lofoten) and got inspired by the Moskstraumen whirlpools. The story is narrated by a supposed old man "You suppose me a very old man," he says, "but I am not. It took less than a single day to change these hairs from a jetty black to white, to weaken my limbs, and to unstring my nerves." The story recounts how the narrator survived a shipwreck in the middle of a huge whirlpool.

The story itself is not horrific but it depicts well the events that happened, his emotions and the fears lived during the shipwreck. The tale also emphasizes the narrator's feelings and his terror in this deadly experience. The story makes reference to Jonas Danilssønn Ramus, a man from Norway who wrote about a famous maelström at Saltstraumen. A descent into the Maelstrom is labeled as an early form of Science of Fiction mixed with mystery and thriller features.

The sea has always fascinated the human mind, for its dangers and the thrilling tales that fuelled our curiosity. It's these risky situations that challenge us to unbelievable levels, where our reasoning skills are put into test in order to survive.

My Rating: 3.6/5 stars

jfbeltran97's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

3.75

aylisif's review against another edition

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4.0

3.5 Stars

iri_'s review against another edition

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adventurous informative tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

moon2pluto's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0