Review: Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1) by Bethany Griffin

Source: Received an egalley for an honest review from Edelweiss and the publisher.

Publisher: Greenwillow Books.

Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 319 (Hardcover)

(Goodreads Link.)

Blurb from Goodreads:

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.

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I was so excited to read Masque of the Red Death, and it completely lived up to and surpassed my expectations! :D I absolutely loved this story. I loved how it played on Edgar Allan Poe's short story, and how it branched into its own story, too. :)

I think the best part of this book was the way things were described. From the clothes to the people all around Araby (psst...weird, yet great name also :P), it was all described in such fantastic ways. At times things almost seemed surreal, which I felt kind of played into Araby's lifestyle...at the beginning of the book she was quite the party animal. Additionally, I thought that the introduction to Masque of the Red Death was AMAZING! It hooked me right away and I didn't want to stop reading...so I didn't until I finished. :P

I also really enjoyed Araby's character. She definitely has flaws, but she's aware of them, and I think that they give her a lot of room as a character to grow...which I'm really looking forward to seeing! :D Along with Araby, I adored Will! He was, hands down!, my favourite part of the book. I loved that his character went from being so mysterious, to having aspects of his life revealed...and I really, really enjoyed getting to know more about him because he was fantastic!

Continuing with the characters, as mentioned I loved some... and didn't like others. I'm sure once you read the book you can reason out which one I didn't like based on the fact that I've just said I loved Will. :P The one thing I was kind of disappointed with in this book was the love triangle. *sigh* I really wasn't expecting a love triangle, or for the false triangle to blossom into a real one, but of course...it did. I'm actually getting pretty fed up with love triangles personally, especially when it seems like it isn't going to end up being one at all. It's a major disappointment. However, even with the love triangle, I still completely loved this book...I just would've preferred it not having one. Fingers crossed that it's summed up nicely in the next one. ;P

Overall, I loved Masque of the Red Death! It was imaginative, intense, and wonderfully descriptive. Bethany Griffin has crafted a wonderful story, and I really look forward to reading more books, especially the sequel...Dance of the Red Death! I'd recommend this one to fans of Poe because I think they'd like to see how Griffin has brought his short story into Masque of the Red Death. Also, I'd recommend it to fans of realistic narrators with real flaws. ;)

Have you read Masque of the Red Death yet?

Thoughts on it if you have, and even if you haven't?

Also...I'm starting to pick up on a trend --male love interests named Will in YA! Seriously, there are so many of them...and I'm attracted to them all. I'm not sure if it's starting to be because of the name or not, but it is kind of interesting when you think about it. I'm going to start a list. So far, there's this Will, Will from Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices, Will from Courtney Allison Moulton's Angelfire trilogy, Will from Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy...and there's probably more. :P