The Raven's Tale

Okay so a historical/magical realist YA book about teenage Edgar Allen Poe, itself written in the style of a Poe story, by an author I really like should have been the perfect Halloween read. And it did have its moments! I mean I didn't hate it! It just fell kind of flat.. maybe because the literalization of Lenore as Poe's muse just felt kind of, well, overly literal. And the repeated refrain of different passages that scanned like The Raven, which was soooo clever and cute but maybe a little... strained? I dunno this was clearly a labor of love and I really felt like I should've liked it more but it just didn't have the emotional resonance of e.g. [b:In the Shadow of Blackbirds 13112915 In the Shadow of Blackbirds Cat Winters https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348721608l/13112915.SY75.jpg 18286614].