Wild and Wicked Things

By: Francesca May

Narrated by: Marisa Calin, Gemma Dawson, Ralph Lister

Length: 14 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

A lush and decadent gothic novel following a young woman’s journey into a glittering world filled with illicit magic, romance, blood debts, and witchcraft in the aftermath of World War I.

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

Magic doesn’t interest Annie Mason. Not after it stole her future. She’s on the island only 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 most mesmerizing 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 Crow 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.

To those who are bright and young; to those who are wild and wicked; welcome to Crow Island.

Praise for Wild and Wicked Things:

“Entrancing, seductive, and decadently beautiful. Here is a deep, sensuous exploration of the bonds between three very different, complex women that readers won't soon forget." —Gwenda Bond, New York Times bestselling author

"Haunting, immersive, and seething with dark magic."―Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching

"Brimming with romance and gilded with danger, Wild and Wicked Things is a heady, lyrical gem of a book."—Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author

©2022 Francesca May (P)2022 Redhook

Critic reviews

"Brimming with romance and gilded with danger, Wild and Wicked Things is a heady, lyrical gem of a book."—Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf

Haunting, immersive, and seething with dark magic, Wild and Wicked Things cast its spell on me"—Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching

Wild and Wicked Things ticked all my boxes. May’s vivid prose carries us off to a world not quite unlike our own and spins the story of one woman coming into her own, another fighting the darkness inside her, and the two of them drawing together to become something more. I couldn’t put it down.”—Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart

Enchanted Intrigue

Francesca May's "Wild and Wicked Things" transports readers to the mesmerizing, lush, and decadent world of Crow Island in the 1920s. This gothic tale weaves together elements of illicit magic, tantalizing romance, and murder to create a compelling narrative that keeps you engrossed from start to finish.

The story revolves around Annie Mason, a young woman who reluctantly finds herself on Crow Island to settle her late father's estate and reconnect with her long-lost friend, Beatrice. Magic, which once stole her future, holds little appeal for Annie. Yet, the island's whispers of real magic lurking beneath the surface become impossible to ignore, especially when she becomes acquainted with her enigmatic neighbor, Emmeline Delacroix.

One of the book's strengths lies in its compelling characters, each with well-developed and intriguing backstories. Annie's journey from a reluctant observer to an active participant in the world of magic is beautifully portrayed. The 1920s setting adds an enchanting tone to the narrative, blending seamlessly with the story of illicit magic, which is meticulously woven into the fabric of this world. The rules governing magic usage are well-defined, preventing the story from becoming predictable or boring.

"Wild and Wicked Things" keeps readers on their toes with perfectly timed plot twists that leave you eager to uncover what comes next. Importantly, the character development doesn't fall into the trope of a novice instantly mastering magic. Annie's growth feels realistic and well-paced.

While the book boasts numerous strengths, it does have some drawbacks. At times, the narrative can drag, causing the story to lose its momentum. The slow start may require some patience before it truly hooks the reader. Additionally, while the descriptions are beautifully written, some might find them overly long and occasionally tiresome. Finally, a more balanced distribution of point-of-view chapters could have enriched the storytelling, as the majority are from Annie's perspective, with the occasional glimpse into Emmeline's or Annie's father, R. Crowther's, point of view.

In conclusion, "Wild and Wicked Things" by Francesca May is recommended for those seeking a dark and magical adventure set against the glamour of the 1920s. Despite its minor flaws, the book's compelling characters, well-defined magical world, perfectly timed plot twists, and gradual character development make it a captivating read for anyone interested in a tale of enchantment, temptation, and wickedness. Dive into the world of Crow Island and discover the allure of illicit magic for yourself.

Enjoyable enough

I enjoyed listening to this one but I don't think it is one that will stick with me.

Written like a Victorian classic, but queer and feminist

TL;DR if you enjoy period pieces and classic literature, but you wish those stories were told from a feminist lens and featured queer romances, you will LOVE this book.

I’m bummed to see the negative reviews, but if you aren’t a fan of reading Victorian and Gatsby era literature, I can understand why.

This book was clearly written by a queer literature nerd, for other queer lit nerds (like me), and considering we don’t have many stories like this, this book holds a very special place in my heart.

To me, the long, descriptive, narrative style, and introspective dialogue a lot of negative reviews call out, felt like an intentional choice the author made to echo the literary style of the Gatsby era. It did not feel heavy handed or unnecessary to me, it felt transformative. As if time travel had allowed a modern perspective to be spoken through an antique voice.

Some reviewers disliked the main characters, especially Bea, but I found all three women to be complex characters I could empathize with. No one is an altruist here, they are just women, struggling to achieve a fulfilling life in male-dominated world, and their actions as such are not always moral. Their mistakes gave them complexity and opportunity for development.

Perfect characters are boring because perfect people don’t exist, but on the other end of that spectrum, the characters did not feel intentionally cruel or immoral in a heavy, pessimistic way like those from an author that wants to remind the reader of the worst traits of humanity.

The characters felt organic;
naturally occurring products of their environment. Flawed, but with the potential for redemption.

I really can’t stress how much I love this book. It’s so unique in the way it weaves together a historically accurate literary style and voice with a modern sense of morality and social equity.

I’ve listened to it twice and bought a shelf copy. I just can’t get enough, and I hope the author writes many more stories in this style!

Definitely not bad

Actually really enjoyed the story. Could have had more details, more story. I mean, it is like 16hrs but if you listen, you’ll understand.

Good

I liked this alot. My only issue was the ending. I felt it went sooo quick compared to the build up. But other than that I liked it alot and loved the Saphic romance!

the type of niche content I’m looking for

Sapphic gilded age witchcraft set an a mysterious island is the exact type of content I’m looking for. The start of the story was pretty slow but kept me interested with questions. The main character Annie is a little annoying at first constantly questioning herself but comes into her own by the end. Emmaline is… my type lol. Everything was wrapped up nicely at the end. A cute queer pallet cleanser read.

alright

struggled to finish. male narrator was not my favorite, over articulates, I also don't like when they add music to background so that part just wasn't for me. I felt the storybstarted out strong and then kind of dragged on. good ending though.

Depressing

This was depressing. Like a big index finger wagging at witches. We are already laden with Abrahamic burdens, so why do we keep writing stories where witchcraft is elusive, cursed and not worth learning in earnest. Witchcraft is empowering in a world where most women have very little autonomy and freedom for creativity.

So. Dry.

Couldn’t even finish it. It was so dull. Character development, storyline, all of it dull. What a waste of a credit. Avoid my mistake.

Boring, dull, tedious.

Dull, poorly written dribble with no plot whatsoever. Most boring book I've listened to in a long time.