Masque of th Red Death and Dance of the Red Death by Bethany
Posted: 19 Sep 2013, 23:49
Masque of the Red Death and Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
To start with, I am a big Poe fan. I have an antique complete collections that I have probably damaged from my constant re-reading. This is a twist on one of my favorite Poe short stories "Masque of the Red Death."
The story takes place in a steampunk/post-apocalyptic world. Victorian clothing is worn, but skirts are cut at off at the knees and the tops are sleeveless and backless to show that you are not diseased. Most of the city has been wiped out by the Weeping Plague, a slow acting sickness that leaves the infected with oozing sores, bruises, and flu-like symptoms. Some die quickly, some live for years. Because of the illness, porcelain masks are worn by those able to afford them. Some kind of filter in the masks reacts to the first user and works only for them. The poor are forced to stay indoors or risk infection.
The main character is Araby. Her twin brother is suspected to have succumbed to the Weeping Plague. Her father is the scientist who came up with the masks. Her mother is but a shadow. Araby is friends with April, Prince Prospero's niece. The Prince is known to be cruel and quite demented, but his niece and sister-in-law live in the buildings next to Araby and her family.
::Possible Spoilers::
The main storyline is of a city falling to degradation from sickness and neglect. The poor suffer in every way imaginable while the rich attend parties at the castle or frequent clubs. The Prince has a loose control of a city that fears him, a rebellion is rising against him in the form of two factions. One is a faction of the ill that are twisted into believing some religious mess has to do with the plague and their main intention seems to be infecting everyone. The second faction is led by Elliott, Prince Prospero's nephew and April's brother. Araby ends up in a love triangle with a guy from the Debauchery club she frequents, and the sardonic Elliott who provides her with the drugs at the Debauchery Club. Araby is only a drug taker and drinker. She has made a vow to never experience anything her dead twin, Finn, can not experience (meaning she is a virgin, and has never been kissed).
Quickly the environment changes from one in which Araby is an aloof, rich brat to her being part of something much bigger. Along the way there is dark secrets to learn and keep, many dangers, and twists and turns that constantly leave you guessing at the direction.
My feelings: I enjoyed this book. It was the first steampunk novel for me, but not the first dystopian. I enjoyed the darkness and the lack of flowery, sugar coated world. The world is bleak, full of death, and the entrance of the infamous Red Death at the second book spins the story even faster. I did not like the love triangle. I think that Araby's final choice was wrong. She was much like the other man than she was like the one she chooses. I am not a fan of cheery ridiculous endings, and other than the romantic finish, I was quite pleased with the play of the tale. I feel that Bethany started the story slow and as lethargic as Araby's drugged, depressed character, and ended with this spinning, fast paced, race of being something more and of the dramatic change of the characters and the very future of the city. I think the speeding up at the end played well with the evolution of the characters. I enjoyed the read and hope to find more hidden gems like this.
WARNING: This book is not for the feint of heart or stomach, has sexual innuendos and suggestions, foul language, violence, some torture scenes, and so on. Though labeled as a YA, it is more like a late teen, young adult and not something I would suggest for someone under the age of 15 unless they have a decent maturity.
To start with, I am a big Poe fan. I have an antique complete collections that I have probably damaged from my constant re-reading. This is a twist on one of my favorite Poe short stories "Masque of the Red Death."
The story takes place in a steampunk/post-apocalyptic world. Victorian clothing is worn, but skirts are cut at off at the knees and the tops are sleeveless and backless to show that you are not diseased. Most of the city has been wiped out by the Weeping Plague, a slow acting sickness that leaves the infected with oozing sores, bruises, and flu-like symptoms. Some die quickly, some live for years. Because of the illness, porcelain masks are worn by those able to afford them. Some kind of filter in the masks reacts to the first user and works only for them. The poor are forced to stay indoors or risk infection.
The main character is Araby. Her twin brother is suspected to have succumbed to the Weeping Plague. Her father is the scientist who came up with the masks. Her mother is but a shadow. Araby is friends with April, Prince Prospero's niece. The Prince is known to be cruel and quite demented, but his niece and sister-in-law live in the buildings next to Araby and her family.
::Possible Spoilers::
The main storyline is of a city falling to degradation from sickness and neglect. The poor suffer in every way imaginable while the rich attend parties at the castle or frequent clubs. The Prince has a loose control of a city that fears him, a rebellion is rising against him in the form of two factions. One is a faction of the ill that are twisted into believing some religious mess has to do with the plague and their main intention seems to be infecting everyone. The second faction is led by Elliott, Prince Prospero's nephew and April's brother. Araby ends up in a love triangle with a guy from the Debauchery club she frequents, and the sardonic Elliott who provides her with the drugs at the Debauchery Club. Araby is only a drug taker and drinker. She has made a vow to never experience anything her dead twin, Finn, can not experience (meaning she is a virgin, and has never been kissed).
Quickly the environment changes from one in which Araby is an aloof, rich brat to her being part of something much bigger. Along the way there is dark secrets to learn and keep, many dangers, and twists and turns that constantly leave you guessing at the direction.
My feelings: I enjoyed this book. It was the first steampunk novel for me, but not the first dystopian. I enjoyed the darkness and the lack of flowery, sugar coated world. The world is bleak, full of death, and the entrance of the infamous Red Death at the second book spins the story even faster. I did not like the love triangle. I think that Araby's final choice was wrong. She was much like the other man than she was like the one she chooses. I am not a fan of cheery ridiculous endings, and other than the romantic finish, I was quite pleased with the play of the tale. I feel that Bethany started the story slow and as lethargic as Araby's drugged, depressed character, and ended with this spinning, fast paced, race of being something more and of the dramatic change of the characters and the very future of the city. I think the speeding up at the end played well with the evolution of the characters. I enjoyed the read and hope to find more hidden gems like this.
WARNING: This book is not for the feint of heart or stomach, has sexual innuendos and suggestions, foul language, violence, some torture scenes, and so on. Though labeled as a YA, it is more like a late teen, young adult and not something I would suggest for someone under the age of 15 unless they have a decent maturity.