Originally Posted @ ComaCalm's Corner 
 An amazingly unique storyline, Masque of the Red Death had me hooked from the start to the end. The world that Bethany Griffin has managed to create from Poe's story is incredible and the characters just as dark as their storyline. It has a heavy Dystopian element with undertones of Steampunk too, you see quite a few Steampunk objects throughout the story, which were amazingly described. 
 Araby, our tragic heroine, is a perfect fit. I haven't read much of Poe's work but I get the feeling that she isn't too different from his own characters. She's so traumatised by the death of her twin brother that April finds her at the top of a tower one day and takes her under her wing. They then spend their days at the Debauchery Club taking drugs and flirting with men, until the day that Araby meets Will - and then Elliot. Ladies, we've got ourselves a love triangle. A great one however, as Will and Elliot couldn't be more different. Will spends his days in the poorer district, looking after his little brother and sister who never leave the house and Elliot has fancy bedrooms and wants to start a revolution. As you do. 
 The story wraps up really well and although it leaves it on a bit of a cliffhanger it wasn't the sort of cliffhanger that makes me rage at the author, the editor, the publishing industry and God, it was one that made me look forward to the second book and I know that I'll be buying it. Definitely worth the read.