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A review by thebookberrie
These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker
4.0
These Vicious Masks is a perfect mix of historical and paranormal, with a swoon (heh) worthy romance to boot.
In 1882, Evelyn Windham is bored of society and it's strict rules and expectations. When her sister Rose disappears mysteriously, Evelyn is quick to ignore her family and travel to London to find her, with the help of Mr. Kent and his detective skills. In London, it turns out that Evelyn isn't the only one looking for her sister. Mysterious Sebastian Braddock is also looking and says that Rose and Evelyn have the power to heal. At first Evelyn doesn't believe him until it seems that people with extraordinary powers are actually real, and Evelyn is one of them.
The powers were awesome, even if they weren't explained that well. You can't just throw in one little line about your theory about where they came from and then never mention it ever again. Why do so many people have powers? I don't know and neither do they! It just sort of happens to some people.
But mostly, the ending. THE ENDING. Even so, I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel.
In 1882, Evelyn Windham is bored of society and it's strict rules and expectations. When her sister Rose disappears mysteriously, Evelyn is quick to ignore her family and travel to London to find her, with the help of Mr. Kent and his detective skills. In London, it turns out that Evelyn isn't the only one looking for her sister. Mysterious Sebastian Braddock is also looking and says that Rose and Evelyn have the power to heal. At first Evelyn doesn't believe him until it seems that people with extraordinary powers are actually real, and Evelyn is one of them.
"When one door closes, another slightly more inconvenient, out-of-the-way one opens."This book was pretty much everything I wanted it to be. Awesome powers? Check. Victorian society with its balls, parties, and fancy dresses? (But not too much of it where it overcomes the rest of the plot!) Check. Dashing romance with no insta-love with an interesting love interest? Check. Honestly, there was even a bit of a love triangle but it was pretty well done so I had no problem with it. Both guys were complex and fleshed out. Seriously though, every single time Evelyn and Sebastian talked was gold:
“Why don’t—” He stopped abruptly and took a breath. “Normally I’m good at being polite, but with you, I have to try very hard.”Evelyn is a great protagonist. She doesn't give much of a damn about her reputation, something so important to her world. Her sister is in danger and she's not going to sit around and wait while the men find her. She's the one getting down into the gutters in her search.
“Were you trying very hard the two times you’ve compared me to a prostitute today?”
The powers were awesome, even if they weren't explained that well. You can't just throw in one little line about your theory about where they came from and then never mention it ever again. Why do so many people have powers? I don't know and neither do they! It just sort of happens to some people.
But mostly, the ending. THE ENDING.