It seems that I am outnumbered here in the reviews. I really enjoyed this book a lot. Many readers are commenting th…It seems that I am outnumbered here in the reviews. I really enjoyed this book a lot. Many readers are commenting that The Poe Shadow is not as good as The Dante Club. Sure, a serial killer on the loose in Boston is compelling stuff. Graphic murder and mayhem trumps an intellectual mystery in Baltimore. While reading The Poe Shadow, I tried to avoid comparing the two works, as each deserves recognition on its own terms. Popular sentiment is that Quentin Clark, the protagonist, is quite a knob. He’s obsessed, weak, and whiny. That’s true—in the beginning. He’s on a quest. However, when was the last time you read a book where a quest was less about geography and some kind of Holy Grail and more about something bigger, another kid of quest? Reading The Poe Shadow in its entirety, I think you’ll find that Quentin Clark experiences a transformation from a milquetoast Walter Mitty character to eligible stud. He’s also schooled by just about everyone he meets, young or old, black or white, rich or poor.Some have said it is improbable for Quentin, being a lawyer and having a fiancé, to take off on flights of fancy like this. I beg to differ. It’s not unheard of for people to drop out of the rat race, for whatever reason. Quentin admits to being an underachieving paper pusher in a law office. His girlfriend is someone he has known since childhood. To me, he does not have the hots for her at all; they have no chemistry, and she’s more of comfortable and safe choice for a spouse. I was reminded of Roderick and Madeline (brother and sister in The Fall of the House of Usher), and I half expected to find out Quentin and Hattie shared the same father. Anyway, it’s actually Bonjour who he’s passionate about and who serves as a catalyst for his transformation while he’s in prison. …