A TALE FOR EVERYONE WHO'S EVER FALLEN FOR THE VILLAIN…
When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favourite fantasy series.
She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He's impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.
So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.
This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain's shoes, for an adventure that is both 'brilliant' (Holly Black) and 'supremely satisfying' (Leigh Bardugo). Expect a rogue's gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation.
Title : Long Live Evil
Author : Sarah Rees Brennan
Format : eARC
Page Count : 464
Genre : fantasy romance
Publisher : Orbit
Release Date : July 30, 2024
Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★.5
Hollis' 3.5 star review
This was kind of a strange experience overall. I'll admit I had some doubts in the beginning, though the promise of the concept kept me going, and while I did get a little lost around the middle, I was seriously won over by the end -- but there's enough sprinkled throughout to keep you going so don't take that to mean all the good is at the end. It was just the most consistently good.
The concept of this story is so good. Being transported into your favourite book to escape the world. Subverting tropes. The reality of villainy in fiction. The general nuance present in all of it. And how even assuming you know the story doesn't mean you can control it.
I did struggle most with Rae and her modern dialogue within the framework of the fantasy setting and how she only made an effort to camouflage her strangeness, like, two percent of the time. I know she struggled to believe that what was happening was real, and that her actions had implications, but even still.. it wasn't always cute. It did allow for some character development and some interesting conversations with those around her, those in the know and not, even if half the time those conversations made little to no sense for those on the receiving end. Which, again, a little weird.
If you lean into some of the ridiculousness, though, it's a good time. And I was definitely the most compelled by a certain non-pairing every time they were in each other's orbits.. and I'm so desperate for that realization to come. On both their ends. I need it. Plus, again, woven throughout, there were so many interesting takes on the typical way stories, and the character archetypes, play out. It's one of those reads where you both can't wait to push on but also feel force yourself to read on.. riiiight until about the 75% mark where I could not put this down.
The concept is great, though, and if not for occasionally disliking the main character driving the plot, this would've been rated even higher. But I have a feeling she'll be more fun in the instalment to come. And I'm very much looking forward to it.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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