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🏚️ Gothic

Loss of Breath

Name: Loss of Breath
Price: 7.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781717066398

✍️ Edgar Allan Poe

Reader Score

4.5

(5 reviews)

$7.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A collection of macabre tales by Edgar Allan Poe focusing on mystery and the supernatural.

This edition features Loss of Breath, a short story that exemplifies Poe’s mastery of the eerie and the unknown. The text draws on his experience as an editor and critic to craft a narrative that challenges the reader’s perception of reality. Poe’s personal history with financial instability and family tension adds depth to the psychological landscape of the work. The edition includes biographical details about his time in Boston, Richmond, and various cities where he worked for periodicals. These elements combine to create a reading experience rooted in 19th-century American literary traditions.

Key Themes

mystery macabre identity crisis

Literary Context

Poe emerged from the American Romantic Movement as one of the earliest practitioners of the short story. Born in Boston and raised in Richmond, he navigated a difficult life marked by debt and literary criticism. His work helped establish detective fiction and science fiction as distinct genres within American literature.

Edgar Allan Poe

📚 all books by this author (764) →

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

H.P. Lovecraft · M.R. James · Mary Shelley · Shirley Jackson

🏚️

Gothic

🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2018 📖 30 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781717066398

📚 This Book in Collections

📜 Classic Horror Novels 💵 Horror Paperbacks Under $10

📝 Description: Loss of Breath

Edgar Allan Poe, a central figure in the American Romantic Movement, wrote Loss of Breath as a tale of mystery and the macabre. This edition presents his work as part of his broader contribution to early detective fiction and science fiction genres. The text explores themes of identity and existential dread through a narrative lens typical of his style. Poe’s background informs this story. Orphaned young, he was raised by John and Frances Allan in Richmond, Virginia. His life involved financial struggles with debts and education costs, leading to time at the University of Virginia and West Point. He later worked for literary journals in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. This volume captures the essence of his prose during a period when he sought to earn a living through writing alone. The book suits readers interested in Gothic literature and the origins of the short story form. It appeals to those who appreciate psychological horror and supernatural fiction. Readers seeking lighthearted adventure or modern thriller pacing may find the tone too dense. The narrative relies on Poe’s distinct voice rather than external plot mechanics.

💎 Our verdict on Loss of Breath

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🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

The text demands patience, relying on distinct voice and thematic depth over external plot mechanics. Consequently, it firmly excludes readers seeking lighthearted adventure or modern thriller pacing, which may find the tone too dense and slow. However, for those committed to analyzing the macabre through a lens of mystery and the unknown, the work is compelling. The biographical context adds significant weight to the narrative, making it an essential study for understanding 19th-century American literary traditions and the evolution of Gothic fiction.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers drawn to the psychological depths of Gothic horror will find profound value in this edition. It offers a unique window into Poe’s mastery of the eerie, leveraging his personal history of financial instability and family tension to enrich the narrative’s existential dread. The inclusion of biographical details regarding his time in Boston, Richmond, and various cities provides essential context for understanding his literary voice. This book is ideal for those who appreciate the origins of the short story form and seek a reading experience rooted in dense, atmospheric prose rather than rapid plot mechanics. It serves as a vital resource for exploring the intersection of identity, reality, and the supernatural in early American literature.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

Readers craving atmospheric dread and psychological unraveling will cherish this dark gem. However, those preferring fast-paced modern thrillers or lighthearted adventure may find the dense, introspective tone overwhelming and unsatisfying.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 5 reviews

Sarah K.

March 3, 2026

A new favorite

Was skeptical at first. The audiobook crowd will want the paper copy for the margins. A few scenes I will not forget, whether I want to or not. Highly recommend.

Ashley G.

November 20, 2025

Solid horror

Finally got around to ordering this. The ending is bleak and honest, not a twist for the sake of one. A couple of the side characters are thinly drawn. Happy enough with the purchase.

Mark R.

October 7, 2025

Kept me up

Got it as a gift for a friend who loves the genre. The dread is in the pacing, not in gore, which is exactly how I like it. Already eyeing my next order.

Adam K.

September 26, 2025

Worth the read

Got it as a gift for a friend who loves the genre. Print is comfortable for late-night reading. The monster is scarier for how little you see of it. It assumes some familiarity with the genre's tropes. Happy enough with the purchase.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No. Its dense, psychological prose and lack of conventional plot mechanics make it challenging for those seeking light entertainment or rapid pacing.

It represents his experimental phase blending mystery with surreal horror, highlighting his unique voice during the period he relied solely on writing for income.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Poe crafted this narrative during his desperate struggle to survive as a professional writer, reflecting his turbulent life marked by financial hardship and literary ambition. It stands as a foundational text in American Gothic fiction, bridging early detective lore with proto-science fiction. The work exemplifies the Romantic era’s obsession with identity loss and existential terror, influencing generations of supernatural storytellers who follow.