High 3 stars, a book worth revisiting another time.

This story follows a woman who is sick in hospital and ends up being transported into a fantasy story she is familiar with.

The twists throughout the book and bizarre villainess experience was the highlight.

It’s a great concept and I throughly enjoyed the idea, characters and story but something about the book just felt very strange throughout.

Because the character seemingly knows most of the story and character within the fantasy world it felt like a weird dynamic reading something that was quite modernised through Rae’s POV but outside was a ‘real’ fantasy world- it’s like we are simultaneously looking through a window at a commotion but also being the centre of the commotion.

The book felt like a very camp, flamboyant and fun ride which you just have to roll with it, I really did enjoy the book when I was feeling it but I found myself entering a reading slump half way (no fault of the book, just busy) and this made it hard to get back into the headspace for this story which is why I felt like the times I enjoyed the book it would be a solid/high 4 stars but dipped to 3 by the end. I’d definitely need to revisit another time.

The characters did get confusing, it felt like characters were thrown at us with different names and a lack of introduction for us to familiarise us with them, then they’d come back under a different name which was just confusing. The book also had chapters from different characters and I personally listened to the audiobook so this made the experience more confusing.

Though I gave the book 3 stars I still feel like it’s worth trying as I’m going to believe this book will be loved by a niche but passionate group, I’d definitely want to revisit when I’m in the mood for this story and believe I’d love it much more.

Rae’s life fell apart when she got cancer, and she lost everything except her books. They were her escape, and she and her sister would totally immerse themselves in their favourite fantasy world series, completely lost in the tales of princes, princesses, witches, of good and evil, a powerful Emperor and evil villainess. Rae knows the world inside out, and would spend hours discussing it with her sister, who was the best character, who would they marry, kill, how would they rule if they were by the Emperor’s side, and more.

One night in the hospital Rae realises that she is close to the end. Desperate and alone, she accepts a bargain that gives her a second chance at life - and plunges her into the world of her favourite fantasy series. She collapses, on the brink of death, and wakes in a castle, in a kingdom at war and full of suspicion. In a world full of monsters, people continually plotting and scheming, a powerful and slightly mad Emperor and much more. Rae discovers that she is not the beloved princess, nor a soldier, nor a mere courtier. She is the much hated Lady Rahela, villainess of the story, due to shortly be executed. She decides to embrace her new role, and use her knowledge of the books to change her fate, and that of the motley crew of followers she gathers. Convincing the Emperor she has visions will be a start. But can she survive her favourite tale in real life?

If you take this book at face value, it is a barmy concept. However if you overlook the slightly obnoxious Rae, it is a fun and wacky read. The idea is wild, and every twist and turn brings you through even more of a wild, fun and creative story-in-a-story journey. Rae herself can be slightly hard to like at times, caring little about others, playing into the villainous role all too well. There is no gratitude for her second lease of life, just her focus on what she needs to do, and what she needs to do to achieve it. She starts to change as the story moves on, and becomes more likable, but still the person you love to hate.

Overall, this is a very fun adventure, which after a slightly slow start, brings you on a fun journey, poking fun at the fantasy world in a joyful and humorous manner. The ending introduced that it will be a series, which will be a fun little one, and I look forward to the next instalment.

*I received this book from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

I will admit, I almost DNF-ed Long Live Evil in the first few chapters. I found the graphic descriptions of the physical & mental toll of cancer treatment personally triggering, and some of the writing seemed overly complicated. There were a couple of sections that I had to reread, because the sentences were so long I wasn't sure what was actually being conveyed. BUT all that being said, I'm so glad I persevered with it. Once Rae entered the realm of the story I found myself fully invested in her and her mission.
Yes, it's silly at times (I couldn't get my head around the musical!), no, it's not particularly believable, and yes, the writing can stray into being too florid on occasion... But it's so much fun!
It pokes fun at the usual fantasy and fairytale tropes; helpless fair maidens, handsome princes, and oversexualised villainesses, and turns it all on its head. The humour was absolutely on my level, and I loved it. I fell for Rae and her not-so-trusty band of villains, and they made me question what it is that really makes someone villainous. The twists and turns the story takes, while not always unpredictable, kept me on my toes. And I loved the premise; stepping into the world of your favourite story may seem thrilling... stepping into the world of your sister's favourite story, that you have questionable remembrance of at best...maybe less so!

Would I recommend it? YES! Have I bought my own copy after reading the ARC? Absolutely! Would I read a sequel? In a heartbeat!

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group (Orbit) for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

What a great story and the beginning of what I'm sure will be a brilliant series! This feels like the self-insert fanfic of my childhood, but much better written and grounded in so much realism despite the fantastical exterior. Rae is a wonderful protagonist and I couldn't have imagined this story from anyone else's perspective. I really liked the world that Brennan draws together here — it feels simultaneously so fresh but also familiar in a good way, which is why I think Rae is able to play the story against itself in such a meta way! I will be nail biting until the next book is out!

I didn’t pick up that this would be a series but I’m totally fine with that. I think my favourite part is when Rae made them believe AF stood for As Foretold. Think about it! If you were in a fantasy book and the villain who claims and then proves herself to be a seer tells you a certain phrase means something – you’d believe it! There’s no Google to back it up. Which is why I think Rae was able to be successful here, why this bizzare plan worked. While there are obviously modern elements in the book, it’s largely set in a world where there are things as seers and prophecies. So if she said something weird, she can just chalk it up to a prophecy! Normally I’d side-eye it and say “No, that absolutely cannot work” but Sarah Rees Brennan made it work in a way I really enjoyed.

I liked how we had a modern insight and character experience a fantasy heavy world. It was almost like we were speaking through her because I could see myself react like that in those situations. While I found myself not liking Rae in every scene, I grew to like her, her personality, personal growth throughout the book. She realized that the characters in the book were people instead of just fictional characters. She found strength in her that she likely didn’t even know she had. I can’t wait to see her journey in the next book, what Brennan has planned for her.

The secondary characters were so fun to read and get to know. I think my favourite would probably be Key – he was funny and even though he did annoy me for a good half of the book – he certainly made up for it by creeping into my heart and stabbing anyone who wanted to come close. Seeing the other secondary characters encounter and communicate with Rae was also quite fun. They either had no idea what to do with her or just did whatever she demanded them to do. Which Rae definitely enjoyed and utilised to her heart’s content. I think next book she’d probably ask for more/make them do more because she has the experience now and knows they’ll do what she says. I think I might be rooting for a villain arc for Rae here 😅.

I found myself just really letting go and enjoying myself. Don’t worry about how it doesn’t matter work, how it’s a slightly (largely) wacky concept; just fun! And fun I had indeed. Even though there’s tons of fun, Brennan manages to create an interesting plot and kept me eager to turn the pages (well tap the screen). It’s character- and plot rich but both are well balanced.

I had such high hopes for this, the premise was so good, but the execution just wasn't there for me. I liked the general storyline, but thought the ending was pretty obvious. Also, I didn't know this wasn't a standalone when I went into it, sigh. The thing I really didn't get on with was the character voice and narration. It was so cringy, all the time. People don't really talk like that, do they? And it was trying so hard to be funny and make social commentary points and be meta or whatever, it was just too much. It just ruined it for me, which is a shame because like I said, the premise was great and I was really looking forward to reading it.

I was very excited about this book because the concept sounds super fun, but I couldn't get into it - the writing style gave me whiplash, and the MC came across as unlikeable in a way that felt too cringey and put on (like a reverse pick me girl?)

DNF on chapter 1

I really wanted to love this book, I've been a fan of Sarah's writing for such a long time. However, something about it was just NOT working for me at all. It was kind of dull? It doesn't help that I read another book with a similar concept so I couldn't help but draw comparisons.

I sadly DNFed this book at around 35%.

The pop culture references and the millennial humour was a bit much for me but i do want to keep reading the series!! The characters and the plot were very intriguing

Thank you netgalley for this review. I expected this book to be a 5 star read for me given the description, unfortuanetely it let me down. Not to say it isn't an enjoyble read, there's just nothing memorable or fantastic about it.

DNF at 27%

I will admit that it’s probably my own tastes/expectations that has me DNFing, but I figure that’s enough to do so.

What I was expecting from this story was for Rae to adopt that villainous aura from the character without making it seem so…cringy? A lot happens in the beginning in terms of introducing us to characters in the fantasy series while finding our footing in where Rae has ended up in the series, covering all the background of the fantasy story and trying to follow the plot of it in order to find the medicine that can cure Rae of her illness. Apart from Key, I didn’t really take any of the characters seriously, and although classed as an adult fantasy, I would say the tone of it reads more Disney-esque (think The Descendants) in terms of fulfilling the roles established for each character.

It’s a shame because the premise sounds fun (who doesn’t love an isekai story?), but the execution didn’t really do it for me

I absolutely loved Sarah Rees Brennan’s previous novel, In Other Lands, so I was so excited to read Long Live Evil! It more than lived up to my expectations! Of course, given the premise, Long Live Evil has great fun playing with and subverting genre tropes while adding lots of metatextual commentary about storytelling and fandom, which I really enjoyed. It’s also wittily written, full of great characters and a compelling, slow-burn romance. (Actually, more than one, as I have high hopes for two of my favourite supporting characters in the sequel! I’m rooting for you, Eric!) Brennan’s writing reminds me a little of Terry Pratchett’s. She has a wonderful ability to weave serious and heartfelt moments and themes into a fantasy setting and plot that glories in its (in this case) over-the-top Dark Fantasy tropes. Besides the courtly intrigue, interpersonal drama and unresolved sexual/romantic tension, this is a novel packed with creepy but disturbingly casual worldbuilding details and a few stand-out action scenes, including an actual zombie invasion.

Rae is a fantastic protagonist, not really evil but adept at playing to expectations and bluffing her way through any and all tricky situations. I loved how Brennan is able to switch between funny or endearingly catty wordplay or dialogue to making serious points and social commentary about, for example, the sexism of reducing female characters to Virgin or Vamp archetypes, epitomised by Rae’s Sexy Villainess/Evil Step-sister to Lia, the Heroine. This is a story that blows up stereotypes and explodes the constricting roles forced on women in traditional fantasy. For example, I loved watching Rae attempt to unionise her minions and have Complicated Feelings about Lia and her real life sister, Alice, to whom she’s fighting to return. Romance aside, complex sisterly relationships are at the heart of the novel, as they should be a story about an Evil Step-sister, as Rae and Alice, but also Rae/Rahela and Lia and Emer (the “Iron Maid,” Rahela’s axe-wielding henchwoman and quasi-sister) all compete to have the most complicated drama with each other. And I loved that, for once, in a fantasy romance novel, the pool of women competing over the royal male love interest actually take the time to ask themselves if he’s really worth the effort.

That said, the romance between Rae and Key had me hooked from the start with its surprisingly tender and sincere interactions in the context of the campy Villainess and minion dynamic. Brennan really excels at picking out small but compelling details and interactions that tug at the heartstrings and suck you in. I didn’t think I was a fan of the ‘Bad Boy,’ possibly-a-sociopath love interest who’s devoted to the main character and no one else, but I was shipping hard. I think fans of Mafia and traditional Dark Fantasy Romance would appreciate it too, and fans of smart, self-aware fantasy will enjoy everything else. For myself, I haven’t felt so immersed in a story for a long time, and I hated to leave Rae and Key and the others. As soon as I was finished, I was dying to read the sequel (and some fanfiction), which is the highest praise I could bestow on any book.

Long Live Evil by Saarah Rees Brennan was a delight as a book because Brennan is unique in their storytelling and style. It's refreshing and forging it's own path in the Romantasy/ Fantasy genre

There is such a delicious melding and flipping of characters and tropes, turing everything on its head. Whole at times I had to stop and read back (that's on me, not the writing) after adapting to the style, I became completely engrossed and dare I say obsessed by this book

A multitude of dichotomies are the foundation of this book and what an absolute joy they are to work through! A fantastic read and/ or listen for the spooky season and more!

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and Sarah Rees Brennan for this excellent ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

A riot of a book!

I had so much fun with this one. The humour is top tier, the magic is so unique and what more could a bookworm want than a book within a book?!

This book was not at all what I was expecting but it was extremely entertaining and engaging throughout. It was heartfelt, out-there and downright ridiculous at times but these things added to it's overall charm and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I love how self-aware the villains and I appreciated how many common tropes were utilised in unexpected ways to make the story feel different.

This is my first book by this author and I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the series.

3.75 stars

This story was a laugh, completely out there and ridiculous in the best way, while also approaching the reality of battling cancer in a kind and open way. Rae, our main character is fighting cancer and finds herself speaking to a mysterious women who tells her she will live if she is able to find and retrieve a healing flower that blooms once every year within Rae's favourite book series. However when she wakes up in this fictional world, she wakes up as Lady Rahela, the villain, on the night of her execution. Rae was use what she knows from the books to get herself out of this predicament and retrieve the flower, luckily Rae loves a villain and knows how the story goes...ish!

I really enjoyed this, although the pacing was very slow at the start. However by the end I was hooked and look forward to see where it goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars to this wildly fun book!!

I really didn't expect to love this as much as I did, but the characters dug their evil little claws in me and made me extremely invested! I loved how the story played around with common tropes and twisting them in such a fun way by making the characters be so aware of the fact that they're actually villains. Key especially was such a blast, and he was definitely my favourite!! Self aware villains are always so much fun, and this book did it wonderfully!

The focus on female relationships, both sisterly and friendships, was also done really well.

All in all, I had a blast with this book and I can't wait for book 2! Especially after that ending!!!

SCREAMING!! THIS BOOK is EVERYTHING.

It's clever, witty, layers of sarcastic humor, so many timelines and characters and collision of worlds. Such a unique concept to jump into a fantasy world of your favourite book! Loved it so much and had the best time reading it.

I cannot wait for book 2!

Thank you netgalley for this review. This book did not wow me as much as i expected. This was a nice middle ground of an enjoyable read but nothing too memorable

As I've got older, I think I've started to appreciate villains much more than I did when I was younger (ha ha!) and this book was the perfect read for someone like me. Great fun throughout!