Title: Masque Of The Red Death
Author: Bethany Griffin
Release date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow
Pages: 336
Source: Publisher
Everything is in ruins.
A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.
But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.
Masque Of The Red Death, Bethany Griffin’s sophomore novel, is a must-read. Fans of the original Edgar Allan Poe story will love revisiting it in this reimagining and those who haven’t read the original will be dying to check it out after reading this one.
Masque Of The Red Death is set in a city surrounded by swamps that is described as a present-day New Orleans mixed with a turn of the last century Paris. This city has deteriorated since a plague killed more than half the population. Now it is split between the rich, who can afford masks, and the poor, those who can’t. The corpse collectors comb the streets daily collecting bodies of the poor who were infected and killed by the plague. The setting is bleak and dreary and shows very little hope. It sets the mood for the whole book.
Araby is a bit of a depressing character. There are very few times when she is happy and she always punishes herself for her happiness. However, she is very courageous, smart, and kind-hearted. She can be too trusting but she does learn from her mistakes. There are very few things not to like about her. Her best friend, April, is a very big mystery throughout the book but she is brave and she is a good friend to Araby. April’s brother, Elliot, is even more of a mystery. He is sneaky and completely untrustworthy, but he is also vulnerable, lost, and loving, at times. Will is wonderful. He is sweet, kind, caring, and sexy. He does however make some very big mistakes. Prince Prospero and Reverend Malcontent are bother crazed leaders. They only care about themselves and everything they do destroys the city more. The cast of characters really is a very flawed group but still totally wonderful.
Overall, Masque Of The Red Death is a wonderfully twisted story that captivates you from the first page to the last. The sequel is one of my most highly anticipated books.
LOve your review! I’ve been wanting Masque of Red Death for a long time! And so happy to see there’s a sequel, I thought this was just a standalone.
Cannot wait to read this! Had no idea it was the author’s sophmore novel so I will have to go check out the first. Thanks for the review! 🙂
I didn’t know that Griffin had another book either, much check that one out too! Masque of the Red Death sounds dark, intriguing and a bit mysterrious – I really like all of Edgar Allen Poe’s works (did you see the new movie coming out soon based on a serial killer using his works to kill off his victims?) I am looking forward to reading this soon! Thanks for a good review!
Great review! This one looks really good … I’ve only heard amazing things about it, so it’s slowly creeping its way to the top of my list! 🙂
I want to read this one so bad. I’m glad you liked it!
Loved the review! I can’t wait to read this.
I just started – and finished – this one today and LOVED IT. And I totally agree, the sequel just jumped to the top of my books-I’m-dying-to-read list!
I used to read things about Edgar Allen Poe in elementary/middle school and they were always dark and creepy. Still, this book is drawing me in and I like you described the characters. I enjoy a flawed bunch more than a crew of perfection!
— Asher
This was such a neat book! I really enjoyed it. Great review!
First: I cannot WAIT to read this book. Seems like a lot of people really like it.
Second: I’m new to your blog, and can I say? I love that you link to other people’s reviews of the same book. I like to get a wide range of opinions on books – sometimes the reviews that say BEST BOOK EVER (or even worst) can be a little exaggerated, so I like to see if everyone else is saying the same thing before I add it to my TBR. Your links are a HUGE help in that department 🙂
Okay, I have a confession. Edgar Allen Poe freaks me out. I mean… when I was in the 6th grade I was forced to read some of his stuff and I lost some sleep. Now, I can handle him. Back then I had no chance. Because of this, I was a little wary of this book and ignored most reviews for it because I didn’t want to give it a chance due to past experiences. However, you’ve changed my mind! It seems that sad characters are always the most complex and the more twisted a story, the quicker you turn the pages. Great review!
I loved the main character. Lots of people complained that they didn’t connect with her because of her narrative style, but that’s because she was so depressed. I loved her, totally got her.
Can’t believe you know who betrayed her! I was rooting for him. But I get why he did it.
Lovely review 🙂