Masque of the Red Death
Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: April 24th 2012 by HarperCollins Children's Books @GreenwillowBook
ISBN 0062107798 (ISBN13: 9780062107794)
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...
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...
I start off buy saying WOW, Masque of the Red Death is a Beautifully written story of horrific times.
Ms Griffin has penned an engrossing new telling of Poe's tale. Doing so in such a lyrical and tightly written manner that I am left wanting more NOW!~!~!
I found Araby to be an interesting protagonist, while she is young she has endured a lot in her years: the death of her brother; the loss of her parents attention; heartbreaking loneliness; and the fall of the world as she knew it. With April the Prince's niece, she finds a new world of fantasy, dresses, makeup, and a way to forget and not feel for a while. This new world is the Debauchery club. There she meets a mysterious tattooed boy named Will she is instantly drawn to and who isn't as heartless as he initially seems. She also meets Aprils brother, a poet loving black sheep of the family Elliott, who runs the Debauchery club and can give her the numbness that she so longs for.
Relationships are forged with such care that I was totally immersed in this world the author has created. Ms Griffin did a wonderful job world building making it very easy to picture the devastating effects that are brought on by the dreadful plague that was unleashed on this world. Thanks to the Prince who controls everything, only the rich can afford the precious masks that may help them to survive. Arabys father a scientist and inventor seems to be the only hope in the bleak world in which they are forced to live.
The story that ensues is one that is filled with love, friendship, trust, betrayal, choices and hope. There are so many twists and turns you may need to wear a seat belt when reading it ... I'm just saying :)
Relationships are forged with such care that I was totally immersed in this world the author has created. Ms Griffin did a wonderful job world building making it very easy to picture the devastating effects that are brought on by the dreadful plague that was unleashed on this world. Thanks to the Prince who controls everything, only the rich can afford the precious masks that may help them to survive. Arabys father a scientist and inventor seems to be the only hope in the bleak world in which they are forced to live.
The story that ensues is one that is filled with love, friendship, trust, betrayal, choices and hope. There are so many twists and turns you may need to wear a seat belt when reading it ... I'm just saying :)
I absolutely adored Masque of the Red Death and whole heartily give it 5 Stars...
The ending left me breathless and certainly pining for the rest of the story, I will be waiting anxiously for the next installment in the series. A special thank you to Nancy the Ravenous Reader for the loan :)
this is the first review i've read of this. sounds awesome. i took a class all on Poe a year ago, so anything Poe is kind of interesting to me these days.
ReplyDelete-lauren
Full of surprises, twists and turns and hidden motivations, Masque of the Red Death is an incredibly addictive and refreshingly original re-imagining of Poe's macabre classic and an absolute must read first book in this new series.
ReplyDeleteHighly recommended Fishing Lodge Alaska Sitka