Bethany Griffin
Release Date: 06/11/13
Synopsis:
Bethany Griffin continues the journey of Araby Worth in Dance of the Red Death—the sequel to her teen novel Masque of the Red Death.
In Dance of the Red Death, Araby’s world is in shambles—betrayal, death, disease, and evil forces surround her. She has no one to trust. But she finds herself and discovers that she will fight for the people she loves, and for her city.
Her revenge will take place at the menacing masked ball, though it could destroy her and everyone she loves…or it could turn her into a hero.
With a nod to Edgar Allan Poe, Bethany Griffin concludes her tragic and mysterious Red Death series with a heroine that young adult readers will never forget.
My thoughts on the book:
I really, really loved Masque of the Red Death, and I was looking forward to the sequel. However, Dance of the Red Death fell short for me in several ways. The character growth was non-existent, the pacing was off, and the romance just didn't work for me. The plot itself was solid, but as the conclusion of the series, it fell a bit short.
Araby is still a strong and likable character, but she doesn't change or grow much in this installment. Considering this was the conclusion of the series, I would have liked to have seen more happen to her. Elliott didn't really blow me away in this book either, and I really loved him in Masque. He was complex, yet a little creepy. However, he seemed incredibly interesting. I didn't really have any feelings for Will either way. I was mad at him for what he did in Masque, but I didn't hate him. I just really didn't care about him either way.
The pacing was terribly off, and that made the book less enjoyable. Griffin spent too much time on the events leading up to the ball and not nearly enough time on the ball's aftermath. The ending was a bit messy and I don't feel like it tied things up very well. It seemed as if there may be room for another book, but I know there won't be one. Griffin's writing was top notch, though, and the plot held my interest, at least.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to people who enjoyed the first one. It was a bit of a disappointment, but still worth reading.
Pre-order Dance of the Red Death!
How disappointing. I also loved "Masque of the Red Death" and I was excited for this one. I still read it though so I have something to go on for the third book. I really want to finish this series.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, I also don't care much for Will anymore. I get what he did and all but I can't help but feel betrayed for Araby.
This is my most anticipated book of 2013, and was bit disappointed upon reading your review. I might still give it a try.
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