Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May Review

Title: Wild and Wicked Things

Author: Francesca May

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Orbit

Pages: 432

Release Date: 31 March 2022

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Hello Fellow book lovers,

Today I’m back with a review for the incredible Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May. A gloriously witchy Great Gatsby meets Practical Magic, Gothic Fantasy that I absolutely fell in love with!

Synopsis

In the aftermath of World War I, a naive woman is swept into a glittering world filled with dark magic, romance, and murder in this lush and decadent debut.

On Crow Island, people whisper, real magic lurks just below the surface.

Neither real magic nor faux magic interests Annie Mason. Not after it stole her future. She’s only on the island to settle her late father’s estate and, hopefully, reconnect with her long-absent best friend, Beatrice, who fled their dreary lives for a more glamorous one.

Yet Crow Island is brimming with temptation, and the biggest one may be her enigmatic new neighbor.

Mysterious and alluring, Emmeline Delacroix is a figure shadowed by rumors of witchcraft. And when Annie witnesses a confrontation between Bea and Emmeline at one of the island's extravagant parties, she is drawn into a glittering, haunted world. A world where the boundaries of wickedness are tested, and the cost of illicit magic might be death.

Review

A gloriously witchy, Great Gatsby meets Practical Magic, gothic fantasy, blending the glamour and decadence of the Jazz age with Francesca May’s haunting prose to create a dark and atmospherically immersive tale of secrets, scandals, blood magic and romance that’s utterly unputdownable!

I absolutely loved this, in fact I basically devoured it! The world-building was perfectly enchanting and I was absolutely obsessed with the gothic atmosphere and 1920s decadence of Crow Island, with its wild beauty and wickedly dark magical lore. I really enjoyed all the lush details and the crows which really upped the creepy gothic, witchy vibe that I loved soo much.

The choice of era was marvellous—at the height of decadence and wealth in an alternate 20th C USA, and as it’s loosely based in The Great Gatsby there were a few nods to the Classic (the light that Emmeline looks out at mirroring Jay Gatsby, the shirt scene and the inclusion of a yellow car.)

But, the plot is vastly different—and dare I say— superior to F.Scott Fitzgerald’s indictment of Captalism. Francesca May instead takes more of a feminist slant, with a magic prohibition in place and a foreboding (all male) council of magic users passing judgement (and occasionally death sentences) upon the island’s predominantly female witch population—especially those who refuse to bow to society’s conventions.

I loved how exquisitely complex and full of depth all the characters were but Annie, Emmeline, Nathan and Isobel were my absolute faves. The level of detail in their motivations and backstories was incredible and really made me empathise with all of them, I even emphasised with Bea (Annie’s bestie) who I initially wrote off as just a selfish social climber. Also, the romance between Annie and Emmeline was literal perfection—their chemistry was definitely swoon worthy and the tension was thoroughly addictive.

I must also warn that there are graphic scenes involving: murder,drug & alcohol use, self harm, anxiety/panic attacks, homophobia,domestic abuse,neglect & sexual assault. So if any of these are TW it’s probably best to steer clear.

Overall, it’s wicked, wild and spellbindingly addictive and fans of decadently lush and magnificently witchy fantasies are going absolutely love this!

Also, thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for the e-arc

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

About The Author

Francesca May grew up in the middle of England where she spent her childhood devouring fantasy books and brewing potions in her back garden. She currently lives in Derby with her family, three giant dogs, and two black cats.

By day she works as a bookseller at Waterstones. By night she accidentally kills every house plant she touches and writes novels about gothic mansions, witchcraft, and queer love. She also writes psychological thrillers and gothic suspense as Fran Dorricott.

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