A.G. Howard is one of my favorite authors! We have the same taste in fantasy literature. The first of her writing that I fell in love with is the Splintered series, a modern punk/goth version of Alice in Wonderland. The series is currently finished, with a total of 4 books and novellas. It is a wild ride of a read, one that will be sure to make all Alice fans ponder "How curious, what will happen next?"
Following the series, Ms. Howard has written two more books, the Architect of Song and RoseBlood. RoseBlood, in particular, is a retelling of the Phantom of the Opera. If you do not know me, I am a big fan of the Phantom of the Opera, whether it be the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the book by Gaston Leroux, or the many other retellings by similar fans of the story. I was lucky enough to win an Advanced Reader Copy (a.k.a. "ARC") that was signed by Ms. Howard and came with a really pretty music note bookmark!
RoseBlood was a great read, it took me about 3 days to finish it (which would have been less if work and other life things did not get in the way). It was fast and exciting to read, I recommend reading with Andrew Lloyd Webber's soundtrack in the background or Lindsey Stirling's Phantom of the Opera melody.
Set in Paris in a school for rising musicians, our young heroine Rune has been sent to study away from home in her mother's attempt for her to overcome her stage fright. Rune, however, knows her condition is more than stage fright, for when she hears certain songs, she cannot help but sing! Upon her arrival to her new school, Rune spies a figure in a black cape holding roses. When she later settles and goes out to see if she was seeing a real person, ghost, or perhaps figment of her overactive imagination, she only finds the remains of dead roses. But, she knows for sure she saw something! Her mother and other students believe that the story of the Phantom of the Opera is getting to her, and that she should rest. But who did she see? And how come she feels that someone is watching her, following her every move through her school and dorm?
RoseBlood is a mix of the Leroux's Phantom and a mix of Webber's musical. It seemed to draw similarities between the song "Don Juan," as when you thought you knew the plot, an unexpected twist occurs! The plot was something I never would have imagined myself, it was great to see a new take on a beloved story. It has romance, paranormal fantasy, and a bittersweet ending. There is no true tragedy in this story, but it will definitely make you feel emotions.
I believe RoseBlood is a great contribution to the Phantom "phan-dom" and I cannot wait to read the Architect of Song. More to come!
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