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To My Beloved Heart: The Last Journey Of Edgar Allan Poe

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Celebration of the Gothic gloom in an intense theme throughout the literary nineteenth century. Gordon Pym, Alice in Wonderland and Jules Verne as a universal view of travelling. This novel pays a tribute to Edgar Allan Poe and his tormented life. After his spouse’s death, suffering from a devastating condition of neglect, Edgar leaves New York and try to save his soul from demons and desolation. Headed to Italy he needs to face the abyss he has constantly tried to escape. A terrible shipwreck forces him to cross the darkest lands of Europe. Backed by some enigmatic fellow travellers, he fights for his own life, realising it’s still worth it, but an unexpected mystery will drive him to vindicate an abominable outrage to his heart, his beloved heart.

247 pages, Paperback

Published December 24, 2018

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About the author

James Marchiori

7 books121 followers
James Marchiori is an Italian-born, naturalised Irish poet, screenwriter, and novelist. His literary journey began at the tender age of nine, when he wrote his first verses in the solitude of his room after discovering the dark, atmospheric tales and poems of Edgar Allan Poe.

Literary Achievements and Style
Marchiori's work is often described as "Bohemia incarnate," reflecting a soul deeply devoted to surrealism and poetry. His writing is characterized by a blend of sarcasm, honesty, and humor, often utilizing surrealistic metaphors to highlight modern contradictions.

Awards: He has collected numerous literary awards across Italy and Europe, including a prestigious recognition at the European Parliament in Brussels for his poetry.

The Poe Legacy: His novel, To My Beloved Heart: The Last Journey of Edgar Allan Poe, is a worldwide tribute to Gothic fiction. The work earned him a nomination for the 'Saturday Visiter Awards' from the Poe Baltimore Association.

Recent Works: His portfolio includes The Black Bloom & other poems, a collection exploring dissent and passion, and the psychological mystery Dublin City Morgue, which blends the city's cobblestone history with supernatural enigmas.

Scholar of the Arcane
Beyond his creative writing, Marchiori is an independent scholar of the Western Mystery Tradition and Eastern Mysticism. His creative output is heavily influenced by a lifelong immersion in occultism and esoterism, a path he began early in life under the guidance of members of prestigious Orders. This deep knowledge of occult sciences and practices serves as a driving force for his diverse projects, from screenwriting to his latest novels.

A Global Perspective
A seasoned traveler, Marchiori has spent extensive time in cultural hubs such as New York, Los Angeles, London, and Dublin. These international experiences inform his "universal view of traveling" and his ongoing exploration of the human experience—from the search for home to the connection with one's roots.

"Bohemia incarnate, a soul devoted to surrealism and poetry."

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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Profile Image for Brittany Lee.
Author 2 books135 followers
November 7, 2019
"The day dies when the night comes to life."

This tale weaved with facts about Edgar Allen Poe takes us on a journey of the travels he had during a time in real life when he went missing for a brief few days after his beloved Virginia's death and showed up looking like what the fresh hell, on some boat docks that had just returned to the city. He travels to many places during these brief days and encounters many a horror.

This was perfect timing for a spooky read. I love Edgar Allen Poe and enjoyed the narrative and dialogue that fit the style. This was like being in some else's nightmare.

• Vivid scenery, a master of the most elegant and easy to imagine gothic places

• Vampires

• Eery and daunting, the anticipation!

"Your ambition to understand everything is too much at one time..." Oh, Poe!

"I tried to produce a response that didn't sound like surrender, it was all about pride."

While I did enjoy this story, around chapter 20 I realized the plot, anticipated the end, and the travels just kept going. I started to have a hard time keeping track of characters and what was really going on. This was my first audiobook experience, so I rewound chapters 20-31 multiple times. The narrator was fantastic! Great voice! It was hilarious when he changed pitches for female characters, and I also highly appreciated him changing his tone for each male character as well. I'm still a little confused by the end, or maybe I do understand it? I'm not really sure, but regardless I had a great time listening to a beautifully narrated story about Poe.

I want to thank the author James Marchiori for the free audiobook code, much gratitude! All reviews are my own, honest and voluntary.
Profile Image for Joshua Grant.
Author 22 books277 followers
October 7, 2019
Experience the tortured existence of Poe’s life through his eyes in James Marchiori’s To My Beloved Heart: The Last Journey of Edgar Allan Poe! Poe has always been one of my favorites, but it’s a sad fact that his life was an arduous journey, one that Marchiori captures beautifully. Marchiori’s writing is vibrant and vividly brings history to life! Check this one out if you also love Poe and want to experience more of the man than the myth!
Profile Image for Elani Roman.
Author 64 books49 followers
February 10, 2019
A page turner that draws you in from the beginning and keeps you wanting more. Loved the tone and authenticity of the writing. I could visualize the settings and characters like I was right in the action. I want to read more from this author!
Profile Image for T.S..
93 reviews
May 14, 2019
Edgar Allan Poe is famous for his gothic literature and his mysterious death: In October 1949, a few days before his death, Poe vanished while on a trip and resurfaced in Baltimore wearing bizarre cloths and jabbing incoherently.

To My Beloved Heart chronicles Poe’s journey from New York to darkest lands of Europe a year earlier—during the summer of 1848. The book opens with Poe’s famous poem Alone, and from thereupon, James Marchiori takes the reader on a disturbing, haunting tale of gothic gloom.

The narrative is challenging as the author peers into the darkness of his characters’ soul to reveal the shadows they desperately try to hide.
Profile Image for Matthew Poole.
Author 1 book1 follower
August 29, 2019
What an enchanting read! I must agree with other reviewers that I was captivated with how accurately Marchiori captured Edgar Allan Poe’s voice. This tale was fast-paced. The narrator did an amazing job of pulling you through the chapters while leaving you ready to turn the next page. I could definitely see this brought to big screen. If a quick tale with a sense of the macabre is what you delight in, then this read will be of value to you.
Profile Image for Sania Jain.
81 reviews30 followers
December 28, 2018
I absolutely loved the story. Every scene was written so vividly that I could picture every word in action. I love your work James. This book is a fine example of your amazing writing skills. The story gripped me from the beginning of the book. With every passing chapter my mind was amazed with the story. A must read. If you are a fan of Mr Poe then this is something you just can't miss.
Profile Image for S.L. Graf.
Author 3 books4 followers
October 29, 2019
I completely enjoyed this captivating tale, told in Poe's voice from his personal perspective. I regretted when it was done!
Profile Image for Rebecca McDonnell.
1 review
June 30, 2019
Reading sometimes is even better than travelling! You can wander around the world from the comfort of your own home in just a few hours. And with this book, you will not only make a wonderful and exciting journey through fascinating and obscure countries, but you will also be able to take a journey back in time and feel catapulted into the nineteenth century. This at least is what happened to me, and I confess to having re-read this book at least three times to better understand certain passages of great intensity and above all to enjoy again and again the vivid descriptions of some places I didn’t know. I don't think it's just a book for Edgar Allan Poe’s fans, but also for those who appreciate the idea of travel as a metaphor for life and even more for those who love to delve into the themes of the Dark Romanticism. I really loved the pieces of poetry included, and I confess that I had to verify if they had been written by Poe, only to learn that the author of this book also writes poetry and that therefore those pieces were instead of his production. The identification with Poe is undoubtedly successful, and great merit of this book is that of being able to be compelling and, at times, very touching, even though over the years there have been endless attempts to fathom the life of such a discussed writer. But this book, which is not an essay but a novel, is focused mainly on the fragility and torment that characterized the life of the master of horror, so clearly loved by Mr Marchiori. And that gave me a spectre of emotions so wide that at one point, it was as if I felt Poe's presence next to me during the reading. I absolutely recommend this novel and look forward to another book like this!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews