The Poe Estate (Hardcover)
Staff Reviews
I was going to say, “Nineteenth-century American paranormal literature has never been this fun!”, but then, nineteenth-century American paranormal literature is actually a whole lot of fun on its own. But so is this book, the third in a loosely-connected series by Polly Shulman celebrating imaginative literature by imagining that objects from it exist in our world. I enjoyed all the literary references, even though I hadn't read most of the books mentioned, and I liked the way the main character matured over the course of the story too. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for further books by Shulman!
— Sasha
This is a mind-bending, rousing adventure celebrating classic ghost and horror stories, by the author of The Grimm Legacy and The Wells Bequest.
Sukie’s been lonely since the death of her big sister, Kitty—but Kitty’s ghost is still with her. At first that was comforting, but now Kitty’s terrifying anyone who gets too close. Things get even weirder when Sukie moves into her family’s ancestral home, and an older, less familiar ghost challenges her to find a treasure. Her classmate Cole is also experiencing apparitions. Fortunately, an antique broom’s at hand to fly Sukie and Cole to the New-York Circulating Material Repository’s spooky Poe Annex. As they search for clues and untangle ancient secrets, they discover their histories intertwine and are as full of stories of love, revenge, and pirate hijinks as some of the most famous fiction.
Sukie’s been lonely since the death of her big sister, Kitty—but Kitty’s ghost is still with her. At first that was comforting, but now Kitty’s terrifying anyone who gets too close. Things get even weirder when Sukie moves into her family’s ancestral home, and an older, less familiar ghost challenges her to find a treasure. Her classmate Cole is also experiencing apparitions. Fortunately, an antique broom’s at hand to fly Sukie and Cole to the New-York Circulating Material Repository’s spooky Poe Annex. As they search for clues and untangle ancient secrets, they discover their histories intertwine and are as full of stories of love, revenge, and pirate hijinks as some of the most famous fiction.
Polly Shulman (www.pollyshulman.com) is the author of The Grimm Legacy (a Bank Street Best Book and Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Finalist), its companion The Wells Bequest, and Enthusiasm (a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice). She has worked as a magazine editor, a newspaper columnist, a library page, and a licensed private investigator. She has written for many newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Discover, Newsday, Salon, Slate, Scientific American, Archaeology, and The Village Voice. She majored in math at Yale and grew up in New York City, where she lives with her husband in a tall old building guarded by gargoyles.
“In this delightful companion novel to The Grimm Legacy and The Wells Bequest, Shulman blends modern fantasy, humor, and adventure, with a touch of romance . . . and a fantastical hunt for a pirate’s treasure that takes them bounding across the high seas. . . . Extra credit to author Shulman for deftly weaving a wealth of literary references into the story. Lots of fun, particularly for those who enjoyed the previous books. Suggest this title as a refreshing change from dystopian drama, and to young teens who miss Harry Potter.”—School Library Journal
“Interweaves past and present as well as fact and fiction. Fans of the previous books will enjoy the reappearance of familiar characters in secondary roles, while new readers will be able to pick up fundamentals of the story’s magical premise and enjoy Sukie’s adventure.”—Booklist
“Sukie’s pragmatism and unflappability is amusing as she encounters one extraordinary situation after another. . . . The New-York Circulating Material Repository is a character unto itself, with meandering paths and random annexes containing materials and objects from great works of literature. . . . Whether read as a companion to the first book or a standalone, this is a fine outing in supernatural shenanigans, haunted family histories, and reclaimed futures.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“The possibility that Sukie’s family might have been the focus of some classic literary novels is a unique concept. Filled with ghosts, flying brooms, magic carpets, and hidden treasures, the author provides the reader with a page-turner. The characters are well-developed and fascinating. . . . Readers will be intrigued with the inclusion of classic literary characters.”—School Library Connection
“Interweaves past and present as well as fact and fiction. Fans of the previous books will enjoy the reappearance of familiar characters in secondary roles, while new readers will be able to pick up fundamentals of the story’s magical premise and enjoy Sukie’s adventure.”—Booklist
“Sukie’s pragmatism and unflappability is amusing as she encounters one extraordinary situation after another. . . . The New-York Circulating Material Repository is a character unto itself, with meandering paths and random annexes containing materials and objects from great works of literature. . . . Whether read as a companion to the first book or a standalone, this is a fine outing in supernatural shenanigans, haunted family histories, and reclaimed futures.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“The possibility that Sukie’s family might have been the focus of some classic literary novels is a unique concept. Filled with ghosts, flying brooms, magic carpets, and hidden treasures, the author provides the reader with a page-turner. The characters are well-developed and fascinating. . . . Readers will be intrigued with the inclusion of classic literary characters.”—School Library Connection