Friday, April 20, 2012

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

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.

Reviewer: Fashionta
When at the start of the book I read the letter to readers, I realised that this was a take on an Edger Poe classic The Masque of the Red Death in which a prince hosts a party for 1000 citizens while behind the gate they are dying from a disease. I picked this book as it seems it was going to be a different YA book from what I usually read and I haven’t had a chance to read a YA steam punk yet.

Although I made note of the similar title, and the story revolving around a disease and prince, the author has truly written a totally different book. Griffin has focused on her character Araby and is told in first person to guide us through this steam punk novel. Araby was one of the lower class who by chance has become part of the upper-class due to her father’s work which lead to the creation of the masks.

I’m falling in loving with steam punk stories. It's seems a natural progression after reading sci-fi romance for so long. This novel truly something different. There's a little bit of romance but the novel focuses on events that are happening and doesn’t hold back with the twists, turns, and discoveries as we are taken on a journey. And the array of characters we will meet, will soon become favorites as we delve in this alternative world.

One thing I must say that drove me crazy was the lack of historical dates, which lead me to giving this book four stars. But it's still a magical book with a great cliff hanger and I can’t wait for the next book which looks like to be out in 2013..

Publisher: Harper Collins

2 comments:

Vee_Bookish said...

I think the lack of Historical date was on purpose, as there was historical elements but futuristic dystopian ones too and it would be hard to pin a date on that! Plus, it added to the dreamy, mysterious quality of the book. :D

ComaCalm's Review of Masque of the Red Death

Midnyte Reader said...

Hearing mixed reviews of this book so I appreciated what you had to say. I will probably have to read this for myself.

Post a Comment