CATCHALL
I was highly looking forward to this book and I was absolutely not disappointed. Masque of the Red Death has always been one of my favorite Edgar Allan Poe stories, and I was terrified that it would be ruined. Instead, it only got better. I completely adored this book. Everything. One thing that irrationally bothers me: the spine. It's freaking ugly. The cover is so gorgeous and shiny and then the spine is…hideous. I'm sorry but it's true.
THE HEROINE
ARABY
First off, I love her name! I had a hard time connecting to her at some points, but for the most part I managed to make a fairly good connection with her. She seemed kind of ridiculously obtuse at some points, and she didn't always seem to be clear with everything. She tried to do what was right, I think, but she let her own desires get in the way. She was definitely an interesting character, and I certainly liked her. I'm going to be looking for more development in the second book, though.
THE LOVE INTERESTS
ELLIOTT
I fell head over heels in love with Elliott. I absolutely couldn't resist. He's ridiculously hot and so darn mysterious and basically completely gorgeous. I adored trying to figure him out and he was without a doubt my absolute favorite character in this entire book. I would have read this book solely for him. His character is very layered and it takes a while to peel the layers back, but it totally worth it. Elliott is such an amazing character, and I couldn't help but adore him. Though honestly, he had me at hello. Still, it definitely helped that he only got better and better.
WILL
Fangirls, don't kill me: I didn't like Will. I'm sorry. He was freaking shallow and, moreover, incredibly boring. I actually admit to skimming a little over the parts with him because I was falling asleep. He had almost no substance and I feel like there's not really anything to learn about him. I do love the way he takes care of his siblings, but that's not enough to redeem the guy.
THE BEST FRIEND
APRIL
I didn't really care for her too much. Every once in a while she'd surface and I'd get a vague look at her, but for the most part I thought she was vapid and dense. She did get somewhat better during the end of the book, but she was still ridiculously selfish.
THE PLOT
The plot was extremely entertaining! I absolutely loved it!
Some parts were confusing, and I couldn't always follow along. I was kind of annoyed, but eventually I could catch up.
The plot was a little too predictable, too. There were some twists, but not nearly as many as I had expected. I felt a bit like I knew too much what was going to happen. Still, there was a lot of anticipation and I couldn't always guarantee that my predictions were correct.
The connection with Poe is absolutely gorgeous, too.
THE ROMANCE
ELLIOTT AND ARABY
I love the way the romance between Araby and Elliott develops. It's sweet and very real, and reminds me a little of my own relationship. It realistically takes a little while to develop, and doesn't begin in love but definitely ends there. They somehow work together even though they're so different.
WILL AND ABARY
Even if I liked Will, I could not deny that this is instalove, pure and simple. They're no chemistry at all between them and it feels totally fake. Nothing about it rings true and it moves way too quickly.
THE WRITING
I've read better voices than Araby's, but I've also read far worse. She can be somewhat annoying at times, but the description is gorgeous. The imagery works very well, and Bethany's world-building is impressive. The steampunk world remains a mystery, but enough is known about it. I normally would have preferred third person, but first person here worked for me, even if I didn't care too much for Araby's voice. Still, there's time for Bethany to mature as a writer, and it was still extremely good.
THE ENDING
Huge, wicked cliffhanger. I cannot believe I will have to wait nearly a year before the next book! That seems like a cruel wait. I feel like this book moved a little slowly and that I have to know more now. The ending was definitely good, but a bit cruel, in making us wait. Still, I thought it was a very good ending.
WRAPUP
Untitled is already on my wishlist, and I absolutely cannot wait to hear the title! I'm absolutely beyond certain that I am a Bethany Griffin fan for life now. I might even take it upon myself to read Handcuffs. I loved this book, and I need more.
FINE.