Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
WOW! This book had it all!
This is a very bleak landscape where those that can, hang out in the Debauchery Club. A place where the elite can find anything and everything to drown their sorrows over the World that is. And the world that is comes from the viewpoint of Araby Worth. Daughter of the man who created the masks everyone must wear to filter the plague from the air. Sister of her dead twin brother. Unwitting prisoner of the Prince. Araby spends her nights with April, her best friend, and complete opposite, at the Debauchery Club, where Araby buries herself in drink and drugs to escape and forget. That is until her world is shaken, her eyes are opened, and she it set on a path to aid those who have nothing.
Author Bethany Griffin did a wonderful job of creating this world that is in utter ruins and where more devastation seems to be just on the horizon. Spellbinding and beautifully written, Griffin launches you into the bleak and hopeless world where some people are still able to hold out hope for a better tomorrow. Very surprising twists and turn propel the story at a fast pace. So much so, I read this in one sitting not wanting to put it down!
There is a fascinating cast of characters. Araby has a case of “survivor’s guilt” that paralyzes her. Will tries to show her that guilt is useless, while Elliot wants her to use it as a force for rebellion. Being a famous scientist’s daughter has everyone wanting to use her for one thing or another and she is oblivious to it because of her guilt. As our heroine, Araby, was kind of tough to like in the beginning. But once is sees how the majority of the populace lives she is spurred to action.
This was a joy to read. The writing was beautiful and absorbing. The despair was palpable. I wouldn’t normally call that joyous, but the fact that I was so engrossed by the story was. While I hated to see the book end, even the ending was perfect. I do so look forward to a second book. I just hope I won’t have to wait too long.
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2 comments:
i’ve heard lots of good things about this book. :)
This book will definitely make it to my list of top reads this year. Between the gritty, desolate surroundings and the rich, lavish lifestyles and even the disparity between the characters, I could not put this book of contrasts down. It was such a strange, entrancing mix of everything I love to see - a dystopian society, steampunk and gothic elements, and a budding romance - and it all came together to produce this amazing novel. It's absolutely one of the best books I've read this year, and I'm actually kind of scared to pick up another book so soon, for fear that nothing I read for awhile will compare.
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