4/24/12Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
HarperTeen
Hardcover/320pp.
Everything is in ruins.Masque of the Red Death was only slightly on my mind until a few months ago. One night I was at a book signing and ran into my friend Katie McGarry. With her was Bethany Griffin, whom I had the fine privilege of sitting RIGHT IN FRONT OF. I went home that night and bumped Masque up a few notches in my to-read pile, and a few days later started reading.
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.
Oh. My. God. Was I hooked.
The prose is absolutely gorgeous. You want something really commercial and fluffy? Hunger Games is in aisle 2. You want something well-written with excellent world-building and characters that matter to you? Meet Masque of the Read Death.
The only thing about this book that’s similar to other current YA is the love triangle, and even that is well-done. The two boys—Eliot and Will—are opposite enough to be endearing, but not over-the-top at all. Araby is morose and remorse and regretful and sadness is her middle name, but she never slips into a snarky voice.
The plot and pacing had no holes, despite what I’d read from early reviews. What I love so much about Masque is that it has a little exposition, enough for the reader to get a really fine sense of character and motive.
If you want a perfect, thrilling read…
4 comments:
Whoa, this place looks different. But hurrah for new post!
We haven't read THE MASK OF RED DEATH yet, but our photographer/YA-loving friend Margot did, and she did this awesome photo for it: http://www.therealfauxtographer.com/2012/05/masque-of-red-death.html and purple-haired alternate http://www.flickr.com/photos/therealfauxtographer/7213420026/in/photostream/
Great review! I found this book oppressingly bleak which made it hard for me to read since I tend to prefer cheerier books but I appreciated the difference in tone even if it was difficult for me.
Dude I thought your blog had died. Super glad to see I was wrong.
Also, I totes wanna read this. It seems really cool and different.
OMG, this sounds so good! Great review.
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