I got an advanced reading copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program. I had been wanting to read this book forever, it just sounded so good. Griffin creates an awesome world in this book and all in all I really enjoyed reading about it. This seems like the first in a series but I haven't heard any news on upcoming installments. I know this is based on Poe's short story The Mask of the Red Death, which I have not read yet.

After a deadly plague decimates the population humanity is hanging on by a thread. Araby Worth is one of the lucky ones; she has food, shelter, and protection from the plague. When Araby's twin brother was killed by the plague Araby made a vow never to experience anything that he wouldn't be able to. Instead Araby and her friend April haunt the Debaucery club. It's the one place you are safe without a mask. While April looses herself in scandalous behavior, Araby looses herself in drug induced dreams. Araby is jerked out of her dream state when Will, one of the club's security guards comes to her rescue. Araby is drawn deep into political secrets when April's brother, Elliot takes an interest in her. Now Araby finds that everyone has secrets, maybe in the maze of everyone's secrets she will find the will to live.

There are a lot of very interesting aspects to this story. It definitely has a post-apocalyptic feel to it but also a steampunk or Victorian overtone. It's kind of Victorian turned on its head. Everyone exposes as much skin as possible to prove that they aren't infected. Everyone wears masks with filters to protect them from the plague. Carriages run on steam since no horses survived the plague and gasoline is pretty much non-existent. This is humanity on the edge; people living like they aren't sure if they will survive another day.

Araby drifts through the first part of the book; she goes from one drug-induced dream to another...she obviously doesn't care if she lives or dies. She has a unique place in society; her dad (as the scientist who invented the masks) is lauded as a hero. But mad Prince Prospero controls her father and the city. Initially Araby seems to make some decisions out of a need for excitement, but as the story continues she seems to slip out of her apathy and really starts to care.

Elliot, Will, and April are more interesting characters. There lives are full of secrets upon secrets and it takes a while to begin to uncover the complicated political maneuvering behind these characters. What starts out as a story featuring debauchery ends up as a revolution against a power hungry monarch.

The world in this book is what really steals the show. The world is extravagant with tattered velvets, glittery makeup, putrid streets, and glossy ceramic masks. Its full of things that are almost sickeningly beautiful balanced by scenes of stark despair. I loved the contrast throughout the book and loved this world torn apart by human illness and death. So, uh, yeah this is a pretty dark book but sometimes in a beautiful way. I enjoyed how a post-apocalyptic setting is blended with steampunk elements, Victorian sensibilities, mystery, and revolution.

The plot is also well done; it was unpredictable but never contrived. There is a lot of intrigue, politics, and mystery to be solved. The book is very easy to read and well-written and stopped at a good stopping point with more issues to be resolved in future books.

Overall I thought this was a fascinating read. I love the blend of genres and really enjoyed the world created here. While I was a bit underwhelmed by our heroine in the beginning of the book, she started to grow on me towards the end. The plot is intricate, hard to guess, and easy to follow...all in all very well done. I recommend this to those who are interested in reading a post-apocalyptic book with steampunk sensibilities; it is targeted to a YA audience but I think older readers would definitely enjoy it. Not for younger readers though; there is a lot of graphic death, drug use, and debauchery.

Share/Like this Review?

4 Masques, ooops I mean STARS!

Excellent read! Because I find it hard to connect with young characters, I generally don't read much YA. This book, however, had an intelligent protagonist, a vividly disturbing world, creative plot twists, and a smoothe flowing writing style. The world building was quite interesting because it was simply done, yet still managed to be impactive and boldly imaginative. Though, there was sort of a love triangle, there was NOT much (if any) brooding or angst. This helped lend the young character maturity and depth. I could go on and on about how unqiue and wonderfully twisted the story was. But, I'll end with this: If your intrigued by porcelain masques, religious zealots, crazed scientists, a pompous prince, debouchery, fabulous corsets, and plenty of bloody carnage try Masque of the Red Death you won't be disappointed!

I'm definitly looking forward to book 2: Dance of the Red Death

Share/Like this Review?

I really enjoyed this book. There are scenes where i felt meart lurch. Reading some the scenes with sick children, dying people, and the hungry children really tugged at my heart. Seriously to live in a world where honeslty there appears to be no future I don't know if I could survive it. Seeing death every day on just about every corner..that would definitely take it's toll.

I loved Will. Yes I get he betrays Araby towards the end of the book. But honestly hasn't Elliot pretty much just been using to get what he wants to begin with so what's the difference. Not only that can you truly fault someone for betraying the girl he cares about to save 2 little innocent children. I can't. Seriously would Araby not do the samething to save Finn or someone else she loves. I think she would. I'm not saying her ove for Will or Will's love for her is cheap and doesn't mean anything. But if you had to choose between your maybe partner or your family, siblings you've raised for years, or children what would you choose. How many parents would choose to the save the life of their kids over their spouse?

I believe Elliot does care for Araby but I also believe he would do the same thing if put into that situation. If it came between saving April or Araby I think he would choose April. Above all else I believe he would choose his rebellion above everyone. That doens't stop me from liking him of coarse. He is a tortured soul that has the possibility of being more. However I think he cares for Araby for a different reason. He cares for her because of what she is willing to risk for his cause. The fact that he believe that she didn't fear dying.

Will is the one that shows her life is worth living. He helps her to move past her guilt over Finn and that living for him is better than dying for him. He opens her eyes to living and because of that she fears dying because she wants to live. She wants to love, she wants to see her family, and she wants to survive.

I honestly am looking forward to the next book. Who will she choose? I'm pretty sure she will choose Elliot even though I hope for Will. The love triangle however is not what has me wanting to continue the book. It's the fact that there is hope in the end and I really look forward to reading more about Araby opening up, fighting to see her family, fighting to survive, fighting to live in a world that is broker just to make it better, but most of fighting to be able to look forward to the next day.

Share/Like this Review?

Summary: This is a cross between a steampunk and dystopian novel. Araby is the daughter of a scientist who "saved humanity" by creating a mask that could save someone from catching the plague. We follow her through several bumps in her otherwise numb existence. At the beginning, Araby goes to The Debauchery Club with her friend April. The first love interest, Will, is a bouncer of sorts who checks every patron one at a time to ensure they are not sick before they enter the club. It is a very exclusive club owned by the prince, who is April's uncle. The two girls drink and Araby finds her way to a drug dealer who sticks her with a syringe that leads her into oblivion. She ends up waking up at Will's home. He didn't think it would be good for the club if there was a dead girl found inside, but as the story progresses we find out that he was intrigued with her long before he took her home. The city that the club and Will's home is in is called the lower city. It is filled with crime, disease, and danger. Will walks Araby back to the upper city where she lives in the prince's old penthouse at the top of the Akkadian Towers. She believes that she is in love with Will and wants to help him. She does this by sending him food and attempting to get a mask for the younger brother that he cares for. However, there is a rebel group that is terrorizing the city. They have destroyed churches, and just when Araby wants to order a mask, they blow up the mask factory as well. This brings the second love interest, Elliot, out of the woodwork. Elliot is April's older brother. He meets with Araby in a secret location and talk her into his version of a rebellion to take the city back from the prince and make everything better. From her, Araby is led into several dangerous encounters with people she wouldn't have ended up around without the help from the two boys. Will she survive the death of the plague, the new sickness (the Red Death has to show up somewhere you know), the betrayal from those she trusts, and the general chaos of the city, or will she finally succumb to her need to feel numb and give in to the temptation of death and not dealing with anything?

My thoughts: I'm always drawn in by pretty covers, and this one is gorgeous! It caught my eye months ago as bloggers began talking about it. I was lucky to snatch myself a copy because it was in such high demand. At the beginning, I did not like the story. April is annoying and Araby is not much better. It was like having Gossip Girl in a pretty cool setting. Griffin does an amazing job at world building, and that is what kept me reading. The setting and the ancillary city came alive to me. I could picture everything. It was this that haunted me throughout the day when I wasn't reading. I found myself wanting to pick the book up more and more because I wanted to see where Griffin would take me, and the characters became a means to get there. It took about 100 pages for me to start liking Araby. I believe that is when she stops being so numb and starts thinking about the world around her. From that point on, I couldn't put the book down. I know it shouldn't take 100 pages for someone to get into a young adult novel, but it felt worth it to me. The fact that Griffin gave me so much background on the place and people that surround the main characters made me feel like I knew them better as the action began to unravel. It has also made me feel like the second book will grab me faster. My suggestion, if you are not immediately sucked in, is to lose yourself in the setting as I did and let yourself be intrigued by it as you would for a science fiction novel. My hope is that you will end up liking the book as much as I did.

Share/Like this Review?