Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
Series: Masque of the Red Death #1
Publisher: Greenwillow (HarperCollins)
Expected Publication: April 24th, 2012
Source: Edelweiss
Format: eARC
Pages: 320
Goodreads Summary:
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.
My Rating: 3.5 / 5
First thoughts:Intrigued by reviews of trusted bloggers, I decided to give Masque of the Red Death a chance even though its summary didn't appeal to me immediately. It turned out to be an enjoyable and fast read, set in a scary but interesting world. Despite the diverse characters, I sadly missed a connection to the story though, and even though I'm curious to find out how Araby's story will continue, it was easy for me to put this book aside.
More detailed:Having never read the original story by Edgar Allan Poe, I was unsure what to expect of Bethany Griffin's Masque of the Red Death. The summary already suggested a morbidity of some sort, but I was still surprised by the world Araby is living it. Death has become an everyday-topic after the plague, which is still lethal to everyone who isn't wearing a mask, decimating the population radically.
I've read many reviews that said that Araby was a bit too whiny for the reader. I actually felt different. Her loss was huge and even though she was trying to cope in somewhat incomprehensible ways, I could understand her behaviour. And maybe it was because I was prepared by reading the reviews, but I didn't find her sadness to be too overwhelming or even annoying.
Araby develops to be a fairly strong character, fighting for her life even though she would have given it up freely a while ago. It's great to witness her development and her interactions with the other characters, especially April, Elliot and Will. Their relationships aren't easy and you can never be sure whom to trust and who will turn out to betray someone else.
I'm a bit on the fence when it comes to the love triangle. Elliot and Will are both, complete opposites and quite similar. Their feelings for Araby are intense, but at the same time she's not the only important thing for either of them. I'm glad to finally see love stories that aren't blind - these characters have to make decisions they might not even like, but at the same time they cannot choose otherwise.
My only problem with Masque of the Red Death was the fact that it was easy to put away. While I enjoyed reading Araby's story a lot, I didn't feel the need to spend every free second I have reading it. I liked its characters, but didn't fall in love with them. I didn't crave this story and this is what makes me rate it 3.5 - I was missing a certain connection.
But all in all, it was a very enjoyable read nonetheless. I'm definitely looking forward to find out what will happen to these characters now and I'm intrigued by the world Bethany Griffin built. Masque of the Red Death might not be my favorite novel, but it's definitely one I'm fond of and that I can recommend to others, who are looking for an entertaining read with a great world-building and unusual characters.
Have you read Masque of the Red Death? What did you think about it?
Do you plan to read it?
Carina
