The world is the same, and they are once again in danger -- pretty much all of the time. But I didn't feel much tension. Part of the problem is that I didn't remember enough about Masque. I was unable to relate because I couldn't pick up on the feeling I had at the end of Masque. I remembered what happened, but not the emotions to go with it.
Not much happened in Dance of the Red Death until the end. It seems they are just floundering -- looking for people, things, cures, trying to keep each other safe--but they really don't make any progress towards these goals until the end, when it all happens at once. And I liked the end, but the rest of the book was flat by comparison.
I really couldn't care less about the romance in Dance of the Red Death. Once again, I couldn't remember the background of the two men well enough, so I couldn't decide which one to root for. I couldn't get emotional when a character died. I didn't really care about any of these characters for some reason.
After finishing Dance of the Red Death, I think it should have all been one book. I think one, slightly longer book could have covered this whole story quite adequately and with some editing could have been more engaging. A re-read of Masque would have helped with my enjoyment of Dance, but who has time for that. I really think that if a sequel is done well, it can pull you right back in no matter how long it's been since you read the previous book. And, for me, 2013 has been "the year of the sequel" having read so many great ones. Unfortunately, Dance of the Red Death won't be joining that list.
If you've read and enjoyed Masque, then I would still recommend Dance of the Red Death. It's an interesting world, and I do think that part is well done. And, I'm assuming you want to know what happens, so it's still worth your time.
Published by Greenwillow Books, June 11, 2013
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
336 pages
Rating: 3/5
Sorry the romance wasn't for you and it shouldn't have been a sequel but one book
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you couldn't get emotional for some of the characters, that always sucks. I really enjoyed the first book so I think I'll reread it like you said and then read this one. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteDanna