Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
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Web ID: 19875954Ratings & Reviews
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fantastic
The problem with dying is that Rae's friends have moved on and even her family is slowly making peace with it. But Rae is still here waiting for the cancer to finish its cruel work. Rae missed out on all the typical high school experiences except for being dumped by her first boyfriend (he and Rae's best friend really bonded over Rae's illness). Now, at twenty, she's realizing she won't get a lot of the typical adult ones either. Until a stranger walks into her hospital room with an impossible offer: Rae has a chance to step into her favorite book series in the body of the character most suited to her. She can leave behind the pain, the illness, and the death. All she has to do is find a magical flower in the book before time runs out. Rae has discussed every detail of the Time of Iron books with her sister. She can recite the arc of her favorite character--the Once and Forever Emperor--by heart. Inserting herself into the series and bending it to her will should be easy. The only problem is that Rae has been keeping a secret: She has never read the entire series. It's not her fault that chemo made it hard to focus on the first book. And who would blame her for thinking the romantic subplots are much less exciting than the gory battles and bloody deaths? Except as the characters in the book turn out to have their own desires and personalities, Rae realizes she might need more than a sketchy timeline of the series if she wants to make it through alive. Especially when she sees that she's entered the story as one of its most notorious (and shortest lived) villainesses. So be it. Villains always dress better and give better speeches anyway. But as she assembles the story's villains to rally them to her cause and get her own way, Rae has the disturbing suspicion that her life isn't the only thing at stake with each change of the plot. Rae is ready to embrace her villain era provided she can survive long enough in Long Live Evil (2024) by Sarah Rees Brennan. Long Live Evil is the first book in the Time of Iron series and the author's adult fantasy debut. Shifting perspectives give readers a wide view of the story although most of the narration focuses on Rae's point of view. Epigraphs at the start of each chapter present excerpts from the original Time of Iron series before Rae's arrival begins to wreak havoc on multiple aspects of the plot. This ambitious series starter operates on multiple levels with Rae manipulating and subverting fantasy tropes ("Boom. Holy prophecy." anyone?) in her favor while also moving through still others in her own character arc. Entering the story as a villainess Rae is all too eager to lean into the opportunity to use her abundant feminine wiles. At the same time Rae also offers astute commentary questioning if a character who has been sexualized since she was fifteen--even in an epic high fantasy --ever truly has enough agency to make those kinds of decisions for herself. What starts as jokingly urging the series' villains to unionize under Rae's banner (the better for Rae to get what she needs to escape the story) soon turns to seeds of actual revolution as all of the characters begin to chafe under the pressures of their prescribed roles. The nature of fandom adds a further element to the story as Rae's own vague familiarity of the series brings lasting--and very dangerous--consequences to her own future and the rest of the world she's entered. High action and syncopated banter showcase Rees Brennan's dynamic writing. These moments of levity contrast sharply with Rae's intimate meditations on her illness and rapidly declining health as she is forced to decide repeatedly how far she'll go in this fantasy world for a chance to live longer in her real one. To talk more about the characters Rae meets in Time of Iron is to risk spoilers but suffice to say readers will understand Rae's obsession with the Emperor and the hype around the series by the end. Long Live Evil is a deliciously fun fantasy and a stunning work of meta fiction. Come for the high level fantasy world building and characterization, stay for the feminist themes and humor that imbue both. Highly recommended. Possible Pairings: The Witch Who Trades With Death by CM Alongi, The Empress by Kristin Cast, Kill the Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson, Mistress of Lies by KM Enright, The Deathless One by Emma Hamm, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz, The Half King by Melissa Landers, The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow, Assitant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam, The Awakening by Caroline Peckham, Going Postal by Terry Pratchett, Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis, Starter Villain by John Scalzi, Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
So FUN!!!
I have loved Sarah Rees Brennan's books since I was a young teen, but I really truly wasn't sure if her books would age up with me and continue to be excellent. But they did! This was excellent! It was so FUN! I wasn't sure how well I would like, what I thought going into this would be, fantasy satire. And honestly, it felt less like satire and more like fantasy that breaks the fourth wall a la Fleabag. Even though the narrator isn't speaking to the reader, she talks to herself about the story and fantasy as a genre a lot and it feels very wink wink nudge nudge in a fun way. It's also so interesting because the MC is supposed to know the story and deeply understand the characters but her faulty memory adds a layer of unsureness that helps keep the story interesting instead of her directly playing into the plot or vice versa. She works to make decisions based on what she knows of the characters (including her own) and the story but can only go with the flow when they don't respond as expected. I had no idea this was going to be a series, and I honestly can't wait for the next one after the twist of the end. I can't wait to see how the MC becomes even more tightly knotted into the story by her own mistakes and what the other characters will act up about. Honestly would recommend to anyone that loves fantasy or authors like KJ Parker! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Dark, Twisty Villain Tale with heart!
Long Live Evil delivers a dark, villainess-centered fantasy full of scheming, betrayal, and shifting loyalties. With clever twists that play with the idea of stories themselves—what happens when you step inside the books you love and try to change them—it keeps you questioning and guessing. Rae’s dual struggle—fighting cancer in the real world and trying to survive as a “villainess” in the fantasy world—gives the plot this compelling emotional weight. Her moral ambiguity, her knowledge of the story, and her desire not only to survive but to possibly rewrite her role in said story make her a fascinating protagonist. The plot balances high-stakes intrigue with raw emotional depth, touching on illness, grief, and identity. The worldbuilding can feel a bit slow at first but it picks up soon enough. This story is ambitious and a little messy but in good ways. It’s a captivating ride for those of us who love morally grey arcs, layered villains, and fantasies that aren't afraid to get personal.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Evil!
February is a long, long time away. I picked this one up, started it, got distracted, put it down, picked it up again later...and carried it around like a kid with a new favorite toy. Everywhere I went, if I had a free minute, I went back to this book. Obviously, I loved it! Rae has cancer. She's terminal. In terrible pain and only dragging through the days because her beloved sister is by her side, cheering her on, and reading from a book series that they have bonded over during her illness. Rae doesn't care for romantasy. She enjoys hearing about the villains and all the evil things they do make their lives easier while stepping on the necks of the heroes. Until the night that she is visited by a woman who offers her a chance. Stay in her deathbed and meet her end, or step through a doorway into the pages of the books that she has been sharing with her sister. Of course she thinks it's a joke. And a sick one at that. Until she steps into the shoes of her favorite female villain and into the story that her sister loves more than any other. "Pick the Flower of Life and Death and you will be spared the agony waiting for you." What does she have to lose? Except her heart. It's funny. It has characters that you want to know more about. Maybe even would like to meet. It has action. It has romance. It has sweet moments and moments that make you want to put the book down so you don't get the pages wet with your tears. (And they are there, make no mistake.) Did I say I loved this book? February is a very long time away for the sequel and I can't wait! 5 stars, no holds barred. Thanks SO MUCH to NetGalley and Orbit Books for letting me read this one in advance, even if I did get behind. You guys rock! Evil!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not the expectation
I was really disappointed by the romance and the plot. I didn’t like how we got played about the love interest and the plot was just dry. It was hard to keep up with and there was a lot of plot holes.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Book hangover for days
When I first picked the book up I wasn’t expecting much but after finishing it I am glad I read it. The FMC feels like what you imagined would be your reaction to stepping into your favorite book. The background characters felt flushed out and not just along for the ride. Don’t get me started on how much I liked the emperor! I can’t wait to see what happens in book two.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Entertaining tale of villains!
This entertaining tale was a blend of humor and heart. I enjoyed watching Rae both embrace being a villain and struggle with the unfair assumptions others made about her. I was easily drawn to Key—despite him being a violent sociopath! Cobra captured my heart and I can’t wait to see what’s next for him and Marius. Looking forward to book two!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
IN MY VILLIAN ERA
I love a good villain tale. I'll root for Hades over Hercules and Maleficent over Aurora because it's more interesting. Sarah Rees Brennan did an amazing job giving each villain a backstory that would make you want to root for them. I picked up this book thinking it would be light and funny with a bit of romance but it was a way more introspective the more you read. There's found family, death, and deeper meaning to what makes a character truly "evil". With an axe wielding maid, murderous guard, and a flamboyant spy, I was excited to read all the hijinks of Long Live Evil. What made this a 3.5 (rounded up to 4 star) for me is difficult to explain. Maybe I'm not into meta stories because the modern humor did feel cringey in some parts or maybe there were way to many characters and I prefer a single POV. The book just felt slow in the middle and it took me forever to get through 30% of the book without being incredibly bored. It did pick up in pacing but I was already far to uninterested to get to the end. I do see why many people would like this book. It's a charming story that seems to be leaning toward more high fantasy than romantasy IMO. Overall, I would recommend this to someone looking for their next fantasy read with some good laughs in-betweens. I received an eARC for an honest review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com