erinarkin20's review against another edition
3.0
I'm conflicted on this one.
Dance of the Red Death is one of those books I feel like I have been waiting on forever and imagine my excitement when this was up on Edelweisse. I have to admit, I was a bit underwhelmed with this one which has me very conflicted because I love Araby’s story and loved Masque of the Red Death.
Let me start with what I loved:
• The writing – I thought Griffin did a wonderful job and brought the story to life. Most of the highlighting I did was because of the words and descriptions more than the actual situation.
• The characters - Araby, Will, Elliott, Kent, and Alice – I enjoyed them all and actually wanted more of all of them.
Here is where people may (or may not) get mad at me – I will do my best not to give anything away. What I didn't enjoy as much:
• The last 1/3 of the book – it felt very rushed and the pacing was off. The beginning of the book in comparison seems slow (in my head now that I think back to how it all flowed).
• I have more questions – the end did not give me answers to everything. There were some answers but I thought some critical pieces were missing.
• The showdown between Prospero and Elliott/Araby as well as Araby’s challenge during the ball. It all seemed rushed and anti-climactic.
• I thought April got shafted…that is all I will say.
Based on this review you might think I didn't enjoy this – that’s not really true. I liked the story and still like that this focuses on the plague. Overall I wish that this had been paced a bit differently and perhaps instead of focusing on Araby trying to find her father or saving other people, perhaps (in my humble opinion) it would have been better to focus more on the actual fight between Elliott, Prospero, and Malcontent. I would have also liked to see more about how the plague was going to be eliminated and now you see why I didn't get all the answers I wanted. Again, just my opinion but I wanted to love this one like I loved the first book and I kind of didn't.
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC.
Dance of the Red Death is one of those books I feel like I have been waiting on forever and imagine my excitement when this was up on Edelweisse. I have to admit, I was a bit underwhelmed with this one which has me very conflicted because I love Araby’s story and loved Masque of the Red Death.
Let me start with what I loved:
• The writing – I thought Griffin did a wonderful job and brought the story to life. Most of the highlighting I did was because of the words and descriptions more than the actual situation.
• The characters - Araby, Will, Elliott, Kent, and Alice – I enjoyed them all and actually wanted more of all of them.
Here is where people may (or may not) get mad at me – I will do my best not to give anything away. What I didn't enjoy as much:
• The last 1/3 of the book – it felt very rushed and the pacing was off. The beginning of the book in comparison seems slow (in my head now that I think back to how it all flowed).
• I have more questions – the end did not give me answers to everything. There were some answers but I thought some critical pieces were missing.
• The showdown between Prospero and Elliott/Araby as well as Araby’s challenge during the ball. It all seemed rushed and anti-climactic.
• I thought April got shafted…that is all I will say.
Based on this review you might think I didn't enjoy this – that’s not really true. I liked the story and still like that this focuses on the plague. Overall I wish that this had been paced a bit differently and perhaps instead of focusing on Araby trying to find her father or saving other people, perhaps (in my humble opinion) it would have been better to focus more on the actual fight between Elliott, Prospero, and Malcontent. I would have also liked to see more about how the plague was going to be eliminated and now you see why I didn't get all the answers I wanted. Again, just my opinion but I wanted to love this one like I loved the first book and I kind of didn't.
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC.
readerjenn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sabregirl's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 Stars, please don't tell me that's the end because that's a really awful and suspended way to end a book. The last fiftyish pages or so were so rushed that it literally jumped from one action part to the next without really time. Suddenly castle, oh no manor house, what it's a few weeks later? It was easy enough to follow, but still a little jumbled.
The only bad thing that I could think of, is if you're overly familiar with Edgar Allen Poe you knew how this one would end. Especially with Prospero setting up for the huge masquerade ball. The minute a 'game' came into play I knew that's where we would be getting our next "Masque of the Red Death" illusion. It was interesting to say the least, kept you guessing how all of these were acquired and what the hell was going on exactly. Sad how the game ended, it could've been a much bigger bang.
There is also that lovely love triangle. I always knew who I was going to go for and it made sense. Araby however is very dull and slow witted for this and her pronouncement of love is so out of no where you're like WHAT?! It'll be interesting to see how that goes, if we get something later.
Araby doesn't really seem to grow in this book. While she thinks she does all of her actions are pretty much driven from the same general purpose that is introduced in the first book. Maybe in the next one she'll finally grow into an adult.
The only bad thing that I could think of, is if you're overly familiar with Edgar Allen Poe you knew how this one would end. Especially with Prospero setting up for the huge masquerade ball. The minute a 'game' came into play I knew that's where we would be getting our next "Masque of the Red Death" illusion. It was interesting to say the least, kept you guessing how all of these were acquired and what the hell was going on exactly. Sad how the game ended, it could've been a much bigger bang.
There is also that lovely love triangle. I always knew who I was going to go for and it made sense. Araby however is very dull and slow witted for this and her pronouncement of love is so out of no where you're like WHAT?! It'll be interesting to see how that goes, if we get something later.
Araby doesn't really seem to grow in this book. While she thinks she does all of her actions are pretty much driven from the same general purpose that is introduced in the first book. Maybe in the next one she'll finally grow into an adult.
lemmyrose's review against another edition
3.0
spoilers: I absolutely love depressing books, and so I very much enjoyed the plot, the characters, the contagion, the red death, but I really hate love triangles so that drove me bananas. but I love that all three of said love triangle are a little bit evil. I think Elliott got a bad rap, though, poor guy. and I'm pissed that April died even though she kinda had to. I love the amount of damage all the characters had as well, but I really just couldn't get over how annoyed I was at the love triangle. and also maybe this is bad but I got a little sick of Araby as well. but I basically hate romance, so maybe someone with a little softer heart than mine would've loved that aspect. think what you will.
findthosedreams's review against another edition
2.0
I wish this book could be like a movie where someone else will come along a do a better job of it in ten years. I really like the story as far as intrigue goes (not the Jacob/Edward oops I mean Will/Elliot BS), but I feel like the actual writing was low quality.
My theory is the author started with an outline, and as she was trying to fill it in said "omg, sequels are so hard!" and gave up halfway and filled it up with random garbage just to get enough length.
Araby is constantly reviewing her motives. It feels like every other page she says "I can't believe my father is a murderer", and "I just can't get over my dead brother ", and "omg my bff is dying". Over and over. And 90% of the time it's all three of those complaints listed together. It gives an obsessive vibe, but really its just a pain to read it ten times each chapter. you have to skim past so much garbage to get to the actual progress of the story.
In any case I liked that Bella-- Araby! -- actually gets up and is useful toward the end. I wish the pacing focused more on that. It seemed like it was all crammed into the last quarter of the book, and the rest of the book weighs too much on NCMOs with Elliott.
My theory is the author started with an outline, and as she was trying to fill it in said "omg, sequels are so hard!" and gave up halfway and filled it up with random garbage just to get enough length.
Araby is constantly reviewing her motives. It feels like every other page she says "I can't believe my father is a murderer", and "I just can't get over my dead brother ", and "omg my bff is dying". Over and over. And 90% of the time it's all three of those complaints listed together. It gives an obsessive vibe, but really its just a pain to read it ten times each chapter. you have to skim past so much garbage to get to the actual progress of the story.
In any case I liked that Bella-- Araby! -- actually gets up and is useful toward the end. I wish the pacing focused more on that. It seemed like it was all crammed into the last quarter of the book, and the rest of the book weighs too much on NCMOs with Elliott.
maestrocp's review against another edition
5.0
Horrifying. Spell binding. Dark. twisted. Cutting.
I raved about Masque of the Red Death but this sequel easily tops it. I fell in love all over again with Griffins cold, sharp edged narration, her damaged characters, their complex motives and flexible morals. In a world where two diseases are ravaging the city, and two madmen besides, with a possibly even more dangerous blood relative trying to restore order to the world he grew up in--It's a wonder Araby manages to keep her head, or her heart, safe. Especially remembering the betrayal of Will, and the irreversible damage done to her best friend April.
Escaping Malcontent, explosions and a fire the crew flee in an airship to regroup and plot. They need to find the creator of the Weeping Sickness and Red Death--Araby's father. They need to kill the man who tortured Elliot--his Uncle. They need to kill the man who tried to kill Elliot--his father.
Once more Griffin envelopes you in her haunting, beautiful, decadent and gruesome atmosphere of the Prince Prospero's masquerades, and the depravity of a world gone to hell in a hand basket.
I loved it, beyond words. If you haven't read the first one, you must. I waited so long for this sequel, and it was certainly more than worth my wait. There remains nothing that I've read that reminds me of both a shimmering jewel and the blade of a knife in one breath. For that reason, this novel gets five stars from me.
I raved about Masque of the Red Death but this sequel easily tops it. I fell in love all over again with Griffins cold, sharp edged narration, her damaged characters, their complex motives and flexible morals. In a world where two diseases are ravaging the city, and two madmen besides, with a possibly even more dangerous blood relative trying to restore order to the world he grew up in--It's a wonder Araby manages to keep her head, or her heart, safe. Especially remembering the betrayal of Will, and the irreversible damage done to her best friend April.
Escaping Malcontent, explosions and a fire the crew flee in an airship to regroup and plot. They need to find the creator of the Weeping Sickness and Red Death--Araby's father. They need to kill the man who tortured Elliot--his Uncle. They need to kill the man who tried to kill Elliot--his father.
Once more Griffin envelopes you in her haunting, beautiful, decadent and gruesome atmosphere of the Prince Prospero's masquerades, and the depravity of a world gone to hell in a hand basket.
I loved it, beyond words. If you haven't read the first one, you must. I waited so long for this sequel, and it was certainly more than worth my wait. There remains nothing that I've read that reminds me of both a shimmering jewel and the blade of a knife in one breath. For that reason, this novel gets five stars from me.
nyn23's review against another edition
3.0
This book was just as confusing as the first. It was an okay read, although I was able to go through it pretty fast. The characters are confusing, and the timeline is all over the place. The pace of the story is off a little too. I'm glad that I read it, but I'm not sure if I'd read it again.
kriff08's review against another edition
3.0
Although I didn’t love this as much as I loved the first book, it still deserves a thumbs up. My only complaint was that a few parts of this book seemed incomplete/bare to me and I wished there was more to them. One minute you’re saving girls from Malcontent the next you’re ‘kidnapped’ by Prince Prospero. Basically it felt a bit incomplete and random (aka rushed) towards the end, but overall if you enjoyed Masque of the Red Death as much as I did there is still some worth in reading Dance of the Red Death.