Masque of the Red Death
A Gothic apocalypse? Sign me up.
This is actually the second time I’ve read this novel. The first time was years ago, but I ended up giving my copy to a cousin and completely forgot about it. Then, out of nowhere, my cousin mentioned the book and how eerie it was—almost reminding her of COVID-19. That immediately piqued my interest, so I looked it up and bought it again!
“I’ve perfected the art of the fake smile. It’s not so difficult when you are completely numb.”
We start off with an eerie picture: a black cart blocks a road while an armed carriage sits waiting nearby. Rain pours down as men stagger out of the black cart to collect dead bodies from the street.
That very first chapter immediately pulls you into how bleak this world is, and how sorrow-filled our main character, Araby, truly is. She is the literal definition of depression and hopelessness, just barely getting by alongside her friend April as they party their lives away in underground clubs. Enter our first love triangle contestant, Will. He’s working security at a bar, basically making sure no one entering the club carries the contagion.
Araby notices him, but she doesn’t go out of her way to speak to anyone. She simply wants to get high and forget she exists. The surrounding world is dark and full of violent, desperate people trapped in a land overrun by sickness. There’s a contagion going around that leaves people bruised and dying, and once you catch it, there’s no cure.
One of the coolest parts about this novel is that people must wear masks to protect themselves outdoors or anywhere outside their homes. The masks are described as porcelain, and they sound genuinely beautiful and poetic. Araby wears hers almost constantly throughout the novel, which I found so interesting.
After Araby has a bad run-in with someone who possibly drugs her at the club, she wakes up in Will’s house. She quickly realizes he isn’t just a tough guy—he’s a absolute sweetheart taking care of his two younger siblings. We follow them as they grow closer and start falling for one another.
But he isn’t the only one catching her eye. Elliot, a rich kid with plenty of arrogance, grabs her attention too. He’s the classic bad boy who takes charge, and he needs Araby’s help to take over his uncle’s city—all because she happens to be the daughter of a prominent scientist everyone wants a piece of.
“Bursts of hope make despair harder to live with.”
The thing about Araby is that her depression isn’t just caused by the bleak world or the contagion. She genuinely believes she deserves to be miserable. When she was little, her father created the very masks that save people, making one specifically for her twin brother, Finn. But before he could use it, Araby put it on. Because of the way the masks work, they acclimate uniquely to the first person who wears them. Finn couldn’t use it, caught the sickness, and died tragically.
She has blamed herself ever since. Araby doesn’t believe she deserves an ounce of happiness, love, or even a kiss. But the more time she spends with Will and Elliot, the more that resolve starts to melt. Both men show her different kinds of kindness and strength, chipping away at her defenses.
Personally, I think her connection is strongest with Will, and he’s definitely the one I’m rooting for. I do find it hilarious that there’s a full-blown love triangle in the middle of an apocalypse! Like… aren’t there more important things to worry about? But honestly, it’s fascinating and such a fun take on apocalyptic romance.
“I won’t cry. When the guilt is this heavy, you can’t. It just settles and stays with you, and it’s cold.”
The writing is fantastic and super easy to follow, keeping you hooked and eager to see what happens next. The contagion itself is fascinating, and the mechanics of the protective masks are so creative. Sure, the characters can be a little cliché at times, but that’s totally fine—sometimes a good cliché hits the spot! The love triangle might be a bit ridiculous, but it’s equally adorable. Sometimes you just need to throw yourself into a dramatic love triangle and see what happens.
The story delivers plenty of twists, turns, gritty violence, and lingering sadness. Hopelessness hangs heavy over Araby, and there are times she just wants to give up. Yet, she stays strong through every situation, even when she’s falling apart inside. A few of her choices can be a little confusing or questionable, but at the end of the day, she usually makes the right calls and never gets annoying.
There’s just the right balance of action to keep you glued to the page, mixed with enough atmospheric mystery to leave you wanting more. I absolutely loved the steampunk-apocalypse aesthetic with all the gorgeous ball gowns and intricate masks.
By the end of the book, Araby is completely torn between Will and Elliot. She’s already broken her personal vow against kissing, which has only scrambled her feelings further! I’m so excited to dive into the next book, see where these characters end up, and find out if any new love interests decide to crash the party.
A wonderful read and highly recommended for anyone who loves romance or apocalyptic fiction.
5 out of 5 stars!
“Souille is a riveting novella that artfully blends elements of horror and science fiction to craft a high-stakes adventure that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. When Natalie’s life is thrown into chaos after a terrible hurricane leaves her hometown in ruins, she’s thrust into a deadly face-off against strange and malicious entities in her desperate struggle for survival.”
Click here to buy Amour Fati here!
“The last thing Addison’s mother said was, “Stay put. I’m coming for you.” But as the days stretch on, Addison is left with only fear, isolation, and the terrifying sense that something far worse is waiting outside the door.”
Coushatta LaRue 
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