This novel is Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” meets Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”. The horror of a mysterious plague that arises out of nowhere is set alongside historical pogroms as mass hysteria leads to finger pointing and the frantic urge to find scapegoats.
The characters are as varied as a deck of cards but quite a few stand out from the pack. A disguised Jewess is forced to enact a role she never wanted. But the urge to survive has made her resilient at keeping up the façade. Indeed, many characters are acting out roles they never thought they’d have to play. It makes the inclusion of a masquerade ball all the more fitting.
This is a brilliant reimaging of one of mankind’s darkest hours, a time when the Black Death swept Europe for almost two centuries, when superstition gave rise to outlandish paranoia. But it’s also a story of human strength, camaraderie and invention in the face of terrible odds. It’s not on the level of facile zombie/robot/A.I. apocalypses. It’s deeper and richer than that. The people interact with each other in believable fashion as they succumb to fear or learn to find courage. It also features not just one but four strong female protagonists.
Ms. Rutherford has taken a blood plague, wedded it to vampirism and a horror tale from a master of the macabre and come up with something wholly new. It’s a savage tale of love and deception and worth sinking your teeth into—perfect for a Halloween night.
The characters are as varied as a deck of cards but quite a few stand out from the pack. A disguised Jewess is forced to enact a role she never wanted. But the urge to survive has made her resilient at keeping up the façade. Indeed, many characters are acting out roles they never thought they’d have to play. It makes the inclusion of a masquerade ball all the more fitting.
This is a brilliant reimaging of one of mankind’s darkest hours, a time when the Black Death swept Europe for almost two centuries, when superstition gave rise to outlandish paranoia. But it’s also a story of human strength, camaraderie and invention in the face of terrible odds. It’s not on the level of facile zombie/robot/A.I. apocalypses. It’s deeper and richer than that. The people interact with each other in believable fashion as they succumb to fear or learn to find courage. It also features not just one but four strong female protagonists.
Ms. Rutherford has taken a blood plague, wedded it to vampirism and a horror tale from a master of the macabre and come up with something wholly new. It’s a savage tale of love and deception and worth sinking your teeth into—perfect for a Halloween night.