Waiting on Wednesday #46

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To participate, simply share that book(s) you are eagerly awaiting the release of and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. Clicking the link above will take you straight to her post and widget.

My WoW pick for this week is Dance of the Red Death, the follow-up to Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin, coming April 23, 2013 from Greenwillow Books.  I adored Masque, so I am very eager to get my hands on Dance.

The sequel to Masque of the Red Death, which Melissa Marr called, “Haunting and beautiful.” Araby Worth is poised either to save her city, or to abandon it. In a novel that embodies dark, sexy, tragic, and fearless, Bethany Griffin concludes her incredible, atmospheric reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic short story.

Araby Worth’s city is on fire. Her brother is dead. Her best friend could be soon. Her mother is a prisoner, her father is in hiding. And the two boys who stole her heart have both betrayed her. But Araby has found herself, and she is going to fight back. Inspired by one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most compelling stories, “The Masque of the Red Death,” Bethany Griffin has spun two sultry and intricate novels about a young woman who finds herself on the brink of despair but refuses to give in. Decadent masquerades, steamy stolen moments, and sweeping action are set in a city crumbling from neglect and tragedy. A city that seeps into your skin. Dance of the Red Death is the riveting conclusion to the dark and fascinating saga of an unforgettable heroine.

Review - Masque of the Red Death

by Bethany Griffin
publisher: Greenwillow
date of publication: April 24, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 324
source: DAC ARC Tours
Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

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.

Having grown up reading Poe's poetry and short stories, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I had to read this book.  A steampunk adaptation of Poe's story by the same name, Masque of the Red Death is exactly the kind of refreshingly unique book I've been looking for.  Simply judging by the description, I thought that both the plot and the tone sounded spot on.  The potential for a love triangle gave me some pause, but nothing was going to keep me away from this book.  Now that I've read it, I can affirm that Masque of the Red Death lived up to all of my expectations and made this Poe fan very happy.

Araby had just the type of personality I would attribute to a character that is part of an adaptation of a Poe story.  She is tragic, moody, and desperate to attain oblivion, making her well-suited to a story such as this.  Her characteristics are lent even more emphasis by her closest friend, April, who is a devil may care type of party girl with a hidden penchant for kindness.  As for the two love interests, my personal preference was Will in all his tattooed, sweet-natured glory, though I have to say that Elliott is a very interesting character in his own right.  All of the characters are so well developed that I was left with no complaints, whatsoever.

Masque of the Red Death is comprised of some truly amazing world building.  Bethany Griffin has given us a bleak, dangerous world in which a frightening disease runs rampant and the debate of religion versus science is at the center of a battle between the weary citizens.  The plot moves along at a great clip and is free of overly slow points and hitches.  The details are both rich and meticulous, making it very easy to sink into the story.  If I had had the time, I would have read it in one sitting.  As it was, I did finish it within 24 hours, which is a true testament to the ways in which Bethany Griffin's writing can rope you in.

Masque of the Red Death is one of those books that I feel compelled to chatter on about at an insane rate of speech.  It fulfilled every expectation I had and provided me with hours of wonderful reading.  Bethany Griffin has taken one of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous stories and given it new life with this compelling, addictive novel.  Beautifully written and given just the right touch of horror, Masque of the Red Death will infect you with a ceaseless need to read on and on and on.  There's no cure, but that is perfectly fine by me.  Thus, Masque of the Red Death has earned 5 hoots and is the first recipient for my brand new rating distinction, the Night Owl Award. 

Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Debut Author Challenge ARC Tours. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.