Bon-Bon by Edgar Allen Poe (1832): A Review

This short story is a delightful treat about a philosopher who makes the ultimate blunder by trying to sell his soul to the Devil—talk about a bad deal! I mean, who knew you could trade your soul like a bonbon for a sweet tooth? 

I remember reading this gem ages ago and cringing through the first few paragraphs. Seriously, it felt like Edgar Allan Poe was pulling some French language stunt to show off his fancy vocabulary again. But it turned out to be not as French as I thought, and I found myself laughing over my favorite character type: a genius philosopher with a penchant for books and a talent for being, well, a bit of a jerk. And, plot twist: he’s also a star restaurateur. Also, what’s up with Poe’s obsession with omelettes? He either names his characters Omelette or includes omelettes for breakfast. Did he have a bad experience with a breakfast order gone wrong? 

I would give this confection of a story 4 stars for its humor, parody, and enough satire to make even the grumpiest reader smile. Just when I thought I had Poe all figured out, he introduces us to the true MVP—the soul-sucking, soul-tasting devil! Folks, it just gets cheesier and crazier from there, pulling two more stars out of my hat—totaling a glorious 6 stars! 

Now, if you’re thinking about the title and imagining those lovely bonbons—those heavenly little chocolate treasures—you’re on the right track but also completely off base. Our charmingly clueless protagonist does his best to sell his soul, but it is all “The Bargain Lost,” since, spoiler alert, those bonbons aren’t quite as delightful as they sound when the devil comes calling! It turns out even the devil has some taste!