Journal Entry 1 by tobysrus from Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Monday, June 26, 2006

Autographed copy purchased at the Harvard Bookstore where Matthew Pearl gave a reading. He was hilarious. During the Q&A period someone in the audience asked if he's ever considered stand-up comedy. Can't wait to read the book.  

Journal Entry 2 by tobysrus from Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Monday, July 10, 2006

Hmmmmmm....what can I say? The book started off well, interesting premise and the author got the tone and feel right in terms of its historical setting. Toward the end, I just got bored and wanted it to end. At that point I was tired of the protagonist and really could have cared less how Edgar Allen Poe died.

All in all, I found it interesting to learn more about Poe, as I knew very little before reading this book. I thought the fact that author uncovered more facts about Poe's death in his research interesting as well. I found this book much more compelling than "The Dante Club", Matthew Pearl's first book, however I won't be running out to get his next book once its published. 

Journal Entry 3 by tobysrus at Algiers, 40 Brattle Street, Harvard Sq. in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Released 5 yrs ago (7/11/2006 UTC) at Algiers, 40 Brattle Street, Harvard Sq. in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA

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To be released at the July Boston Bookcrossing Meeting. 

Journal Entry 4 by amyem from Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Picked up at the July Meetup, I have The Dante Club in my huge to-read pile so I'll bump it up and add this in. 

Journal Entry 5 by amyem from Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Wednesday, April 25, 2007

I'm tending to agree with tobyrus. It's an interesting premise but not particularly compelling to read. I found the narrator, Quentin Clark, a rather uninspired sidekick to the gruff Dupounte. In his zeal to uncover the mysteries of Poe's death, he appears not particularly clever and prone to impetous action. He is the dupe of just about everyone in their own plots and machinations. Even when the mystery is revealed, it isn't particularly exciting. It's not badly written or plotted, just not very interesting. Pearl mentions a great deal of original research in the afterward and I wondered if perhaps he might have written a better non-fiction treatment. 

Journal Entry 6 by amyem at Algiers, 40 Brattle Street, Harvard Sq. in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (5/8/2007 UTC) at Algiers, 40 Brattle Street, Harvard Sq. in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA

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For May Boston MeetUp 

Journal Entry 7 by tobysrus from Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Thursday, May 10, 2007

No one claimed it at the May Bookcrossing meeting, so I am planning to check Cliff's Wish List and send it to someone as a RABCK. 

Journal Entry 8 by tobysrus at Post Office in By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Friday, May 11, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (5/11/2007 UTC) at Post Office in By Mail, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases

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On its way to LyekkaMarengo. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 9 by LyekkaMarengo from Warriors Mark, Pennsylvania USA on Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Received safe and sound in Central PA. Thanks a lot for the RABCK. 

Journal Entry 10 by LyekkaMarengo from Warriors Mark, Pennsylvania USA on Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Found this at the bottom of a closet full of books I was trying to sort out and realized that I have read this on a long-ago ring. I also tended to agree with the other reviewers that it was more of an interesting premise than it actually turned out to be. I liked The Dante Club more. But I would still probably give this author another shot.

I'm passing this on to someone else that has it on their wishlist.