Reviews

The Wicked and the Willing by Lianyu Tan

bookishdamzel's review

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is an 18+ Dark F/F Romance!!!

I had a hard time getting into this one, although I liked all the characters. The book seemed to drag on a bit too far for me. Obviously, there's dark content since it is a dark romance & I'd recommend checking out Lianyu Tan's website for the full list of content warnings. 

I enjoyed the setting, the vampire/vampire coven element, dark atmosphere, and the fact you get to choose your own ending depending on who you wanted Gean Choo to be with in the end. There's also a bonus "Choose Yourself" ending too, although I haven't read it. 

vrrrmm's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This was entirely too slow and I found the characters to be boring. I did like the choose between to paths though. 

meowreos's review

just couldn't give a shit anymore bro. perhaps another time!

ariph's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

taratheterror's review

2.0

This was kind of hard to get through which sucks because I was excited to read an LGBTQ+ book, the relationships felt rushed and kind of inauthentic, I almost dnf about 20% in but decided to finish for my reading goals sake.

amyjoy's review

dark tense

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

A really excellent, creepy vampire novel! I feel like this is a great one for folks who have really enjoyed the new adaptation of Interview with the Vampire. 

I thought it was really interesting/I really liked that Tan gave us chapters from Verity's perspective - it's a choice that made me question if we were supposed to be rooting for her even as she

rapes Gean Choo

. I also thought it was a really well done examination of being in an abusive relationship and all the conflicting feelings that comes with it.

And the Choose Your Own Adventure style ending was a fun surprise!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Rape

the_book_bear's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Really strong atmospheric start. I found myself less gripped as we reached the middle. I didn’t love the pick-your-own-ending. I would have understood from the character’s POV why she might have picked to stay in the abusive relationship, and maybe dark romances just aren’t for me, but I don’t get why anyone reading it would want to pick one of the two possible endings. I did love how it was a world I have never read about before (1920s Singapore) and the writing was good, so I do intend to read the author’s other books. MASSIVE trigger warning for SA in the present and past. 

sopie's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

keepthisholykiss's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

gingerbread_void's review

3.0

I was sold on this book as soon as I read the premise. This book is definitely dark and heavy and has several serious trigger warning so please be aware of those before diving into this book.
This book was great. It was definitely dark and had an eery feeling throughout the book. I was constant eager to find out what would happen.