Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

After finding out her father created the plague that destroyed most of mankind, Araby has a lot to deal with. That, and the three groups fighting for control all want her for some reason or another. Betrayed by her boyfriend and proposed to by a slightly crazed revolutionary, she's having a rough month. Yet somehow, she deals. Bravo.

Masque of the Red Death was a very good book. It set up very well for the sequel, which I think was a main focus on it. While Masque was a little slow, Dance was fast paced and exciting through and through. There was never a dull moment, and I read it in one sitting. It was a rather short book, and I think some parts could have been elaborated on a little more. I think there were tons of fun elements to the plot, as well as some really great scenes, which could have been extrapolated to make the book a little bit of a higher level, while intoning those darker themes which are hinted at, but left relatively unexplored.

One thing I really did like about this book was the love triangle. Bethany did a wonderful job of establishing three very different characters that you do feel a connection to at one point or another. I enjoyed the multidimensional parts of Elliot. You got to see his crazed side, his sensitive side, and also his cruel side all in one book.

Will annoyed me for the first half of the book. After betraying her he was rather shy and tentative, a huge contrast to the dark and mysterious Will we met in the first book. He did redeem himself though. He continued to persue Araby even while she seemed to be with Elliot, albeit more subtly than before. He's always there for her, and in the end he cares for her more than Elliot does, and Araby realizes that.

Araby and Elliot's relationship is complicated. At some points she seems very into it and appears to really like Elliot. Then the next scene she's pushing his away. Eventually they really do seem like a couple, but Araby bases that relationship on them both being bad people. She even says that they "really do deserve each other". I think this added to the plot, that her and Will's relationship was more pure than hers and Elliot's. Once Elliot really gains control of the revolution, he does change his stripes. He becomes bossier of Araby, and publicly tries to claim her as his. I think this aided Araby in realizing who she really should be with in the end, and it didn't feel like she was changing her mind for no reason.

The end was good. Like I said before, some elements of the story could have been elaborated on, and since I did enjoy the characters so much I wish they had been. In the end everyone got what they deserved. While Bethany doesn't tell you exactly how the world turns out, she ends on a happy note that gives hope for the future.

Bethany did an amazing job with creating her characters. They were all very down to earth, realistic, and individual. There were no copies in the story, and I really appreciate that. Unfortunately her plot skills do not share the same ground as her character building ones. If this had been a collaborated duo with an author really good at making a clear and concise plot, it would have been much better.

I really enjoyed this series, but do to the short nature of the second book and amateur plot line, I'm left feeling like there's a lot more to the story that wasn't told.

Three Stars.

Rosalie

Dance of the Red Death on Goodreads