The Crooked Mask
Rachel Burge
Hot Key Books, January 2021
Paperback, £7.99
ISBN 9781471409202
The Crooked Mask, sequel to The Twisted Tree, is a gripping follow-up from writer Rachel Burge. The story keeps you hooked from start to finish, a novel to claim the attention of thrill-seekers and mystery buffs. The story finds Martha arriving at the Circus of Myth & Mayhem where performers re-enact legends from Norse mythology. Here, she encounters mysterious beings including the villainous Jester, who holds many secrets. Martha’s telepathic abilities and relations with the Norse gods are tested as she slowly uncovers the truth behind Nina’s death, ex-girlfriend to her lover Stig, who now haunts her and her mother as a disturbed apparition.
With an eerie setting, layered mythology and a devious mystery at her disposal, Burge creates effective tension. The storyline continuously re-contextualises itself with each twist. Our perceptions of the circus employees, as well as characters close to Martha, are constantly changing and this raises your curiosity effortlessly.
Martha makes for a likeable and layered protagonist. Memorable moments include when she uses her powers to get closer to the truth to find justice for Nina, but also peace for her mother. At 278 pages, not a single chapter feels wasted and each paragraph peels back the circus residents’ importance to the story as well as unearthing horror within the
plot.
The novel’s minor flaw is that due to the mysteriousness of the story, some characters within the circus feel empty with little motivation outside of their roles in the circus, but this is a rarity to a few characters and most are given relatable goals that make them interesting to uncover.
Overall, The Crooked Mask serves as an impressive tale, with elements sure to please fans of Burge’s previous works but also serving as an absorbing novel for new readers.
Dean Mc Morrow, teen reviewer
Check out our Book Club Chat on The Crooked Mask for the Paper Lantern team’s thoughts on this eerie book!
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