Release date: April 24th, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format: Hardcover, 319 pages
Goodreads description:
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 around them.
So what does Araby Worth have to live for?
Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . 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 is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.
And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for--no matter what it costs her.
For this one I have to go back to my old review format because I have a lot to say about it, even though I find it difficult to really structure my thougths.
This review is based on a copy I bought myself.
Review (no spoilers):
Set in a city
plagued by disease against the backdrop of a Victorianesque society both destroyed
and saved by science, Masque of the Red
Death explores the deeds humans are capable of in the midst of despair. The
story unfolds at a measured pace in what I can only call gorgeous, atmospheric
prose and follows the journey of Araby as she struggles to find something worth
living and fighting for in a place where everyone has a secret agenda and she
herself is a valuable pawn.
Araby is not
your typical heroine. She is privileged because her father is the scientist who
invented the masks that allow those who have enough money to buy them to walk
around outside without catching the incurable disease that poisons the very
air. However, she is also weighed down by guilt, seeking oblivion in drugs and
alcohol at the Debauchery club with her friend April. Araby has been very
lonely and self-destructive since her twin brother, Finn, died of the plague
and her parents show little interest in her.
Blaming herself
for Finn’s death, she has taken a vow not to let herself experience anything
that he won’t get around to – no kissing, no sex, no other outstanding
experiences. She is just drifting by – apart from the short moment upon
entering the club, when she is tested for infection by Will, the dark, tattooed
and mysterious club employee. Will is off limits – not just because of Araby’s
vow, but because he is poor and lives in the Lower City.
I empathized
with Araby and enjoyed watching her grow and become a stronger, better person,
and I simply adored Will. He cares about her and risks his own life more than
once to help her without asking for anything in return. Through him, Araby is
ripped from her lethargy as she tries to aid him and his siblings in return.
For the city is close to an upheaval against the reign of Prince Prospero, who
keeps a tight leash on the mask production and distribution while the streets
are literally lined with corpses. Going out after dark without an escort of
armed guardians is unthinkable as the poor’s’ discontent reaches new heights.
Enter Elliot,
April’s brother. He shows some kind of interest in Araby, yet determining
whether he truly likes her or simply needs her for his own plans because of her
position as the scientist’s daughter is unclear. I never really took to him, to
be honest, nor did I trust him. But when April disappears and Elliott asks
Araby for help in retrieving her, how can she refuse? How much is she willing
to sacrifice for the good of the city or the lives of her remaining family?
When a new plague, the Red Death, starts to spread through the city streets,
mayhem and chaos ensue…
The pace of the
novel might be slow for some readers, but I enjoyed the build-up. I could
easily get lost in the lush prose and the realistic and sometimes gruesome
descriptions of a world where death is ubiquitous and hope nearly extinct. The
world-building was excellent and Bethany Griffin lets her readers piece together
many things on their own – I liked the mystery in that, and there were twists I
never would have seen coming. I was also a sucker for the bittersweet mixture
of budding romance, betrayal, and guilt. This is a dark read, but one that will stay on
your mind for a long time!
Spoilery personal thoughts:
I was very
impressed by the world-building, as I have already said. Just imagine growing
up in a world where no one wants to go outside! Imagine being a kid but never
going to the park, never playing ball with your friends because any small
accident could crack your mask and damn you – if you are lucky enough to have
parents who can afford a mask for you. Without one, kids cannot even enter
school or otherwise be around people for fear of infection. Infected people can
be killed on sight, and the corpse collectors are always busy. Not wearing a
mask is unthinkable for Araby and other rich people. Many of them never leave
their apartments and have lower-class servants run all their errands. I would go
crazy if I had to hole up inside like this, without ever even being able to air
the rooms! How do you live when death and disease are ever-present?
Another thing I
adored was that even in the midst of all this death, there were glimpses of
hope – people still read poetry and stories, there are even some who still go
to the university to hold unofficial courses. There is something alike to
street art. There are people who do selfless things. The ambivalence of science
was also something I enjoyed. And the changes in fashion and behavior brought
on by the disease! The dress code became way more revealing – it is important
to show that your legs are free of blisters or other signs of the illness. Long
skirts are suspicious. Women gained the permission to enter the clubs where the
wealthy try to forget about the terrible situation for a few hours every night.
Though I must admit that I would have liked to see more of what goes on at the
Debauchery club… the story tends to black out after Araby drugs herself and set
back in when she regains consciousness. Apart from that, the threatening
atmosphere in some parts of the club was very well rendered!
I could go on
forever about Will, and how I like him so much better than Elliott despite what
he did near the end. Elliott is very messed up, but that’s no excuse for how
badly he treats Araby and pushes her into doing things for him that are
dangerous to her and her father while keeping most of the important information
from her. I could ramble on forever about this, about Prospero, I could go into
how Masque picks up on elements of Poe’s story, but I’ve been rambling on for
too long already. Let’s just leave it at the fact that I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for the
sequel! Oh, and the cover is simply perfect and suits the novel well.
I’m sure I missed many aspects of the story I enjoyed
or wanted to touch on, but I’m trying (and apparently failing) to make my
reviews less lengthy. If you’ve read the book and remember something that
struck you but that I didn’t bring up, feel free to comment and initiate a
discussion! What are you people’s thoughts on the book? Did you enjoy it? Was there
something that annoyed you? Do you prefer Will or Elliott? Tell me in the comments
:)
