Eight-year-old Virginia Eliza "Sissy" Clemm meets her 21-years-old cousin Edgar Allan Poe. Sissy falls in love with Eddy and sets her sights on becoming Mrs. Poe. Eddy eventually convinces Sissy's mother, Maria ("Muddy") to lie about her age when she is merely 13 and allow the marriage. Muddy has made her own agreement with Eddy, unbeknownst to Sissy they will marry in name only until she has reached an acceptable age to be physically involved.

Brought up poor, Sissy is used to having only bare necessities, but Eddy was taken in upon his mother's death by foster parents blessed with money. Upon his foster mother's death he is now dealing with poverty and struggles to support the three of them by moving from city to city while writing his ghoulish and macabre poems and tales. Being a binge alcoholic is considered his "imp" precipitated by depression. Sissy's wish for a child never reaches fruition. As she steadfastly encourages Eddy in his writing she also assumes the fight of her life with consumption. At 24, Sissy awakes in death and limbo, questioning the reality of purgatory. Will Sissy's sensitivity to supernatural elements when alive help her in death to remain with her love?

Sissy is a very determined and exceedingly independent child who grows to stand by her love for Eddy. You have to admire her determination and resolve to remain a respected woman drawn into the literary world of famous authors and poets. Sissy's love of music always took a back seat to Eddy's dreams and achievements. Their life was sad and hard but their love remained undeterred.