Video Review: Masque of the Red Death

Author: Bethany Griffin

Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins

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.

The first time I ever saw this book I knew right away that I had to have it. Being an English major and an aspiring English teacher, I of course have read my fair share of Edgar Allen Poe and immediately related this book to his short story called Masque of the Red Death. I knew that I was in for a treat. The cover gives you a slight view of the dark, grotesque, and extremely gothic world for which you are about to journey into. I loved the evening gown and the umbrella because I was hoping for a bit of a Victorian realm as well; I got what I wanted!

We all know that the characters and the setting can make or break a story. They are what open the door into the journey that is the book. If they are not written properly then the whole book could be considered a failure. Well let me say, Bethany Griffin does not disappoint in this area. The characters and the setting are just as dark as the cover of the book. At times I could feel chills going down my spine while reading. I felt myself actually taking a ride in the pitch black steam carriages that were only guided by lantern light. I felt myself transported to a town where broken sign posts were hanging from store windows and vile rats scurried across the cobblestones roads. I was with Araby Worth on her journey, every step of the way.

The characters are each so full of depth that it would be hard for me to dive into each of their stories, but I will share a few of them with you. Araby was of course the famed heroine and at times I could really picture her as that, but other times I did not think she made the cut. Don’t get me wrong I loved Araby, but in the beginning I was starting to worry if I could depend on her or not. Elliot was probably my favorite character out of the lot. He was a cold soul and one with high hopes for saving humanity. I loved his dark essence and mysterious reactions to those around him. I think his character was the one that I thought least likely to show any emotion, until he started to fall for Araby that is. April, his sister, is a wild and carefree spirit. She influences Araby in many ways and many people today would describe April as high maintenance. At times I wanted to punch her in the face because she can be so cynical and selfish, but then I started to realize how much she really does care for the people that she loves. Griffin does a wonderful job of evenly dispersing a wide variety of character traits among them. She creates some really volatile characters that will completely shock you with each new obstacle that faces them.

In our modern world today science and religion are two very heated and versatile topics or issues. In Araby’s world the same thing exists which I found fascinating and strangely relatable. In today’s world you some favor science and are skeptics of religion and vice versa, and it was the same in Araby’s time. Science, however, was the determining factor in life or death and it was intensified 100%. Science had saved part of the population, but it was not enough to save everyone. I believe Griffin did a fantastic job creating this gloomy and grimy world in which science prevailed and religion was coming out of the woodwork. It can be difficult to write about both of these issues because so many people have grounded standpoints when it comes to both. I was so impressed with this world that she had developed and how vividly and richly she described it and all of its counterparts.