Review: Wild and Wicked Things, by Francesca May

 

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.

'Tis the season of Great Gatsby retellings. Much like last year's The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo, Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May is marketed as a queer, witchy take on the American classic - but I fail to see the parallels. Yes, the story is set in the appropriate time period, there's a house whose owner is mysterious enough, they're on an island, and wild parties abound. But the similarities, I think, end there. That said, the book is delightful. It works best if one doesn’t think too hard about the supposed inspiration and simply lets the story speak for itself. It’s a packed adventure that isn’t afraid to take its time; every beat serves its purpose, even in its moments of stillness.

First and foremost, it’s a book about sisterhood and the bonds we form in a traumatic setting. The relationship between Emmeline and her longtime companions is deep and heartbreaking. The friendship between Annie and Beatrice, shadowed by a tragic loss, is no less compelling. This is a book with deeply flawed characters, which can be a risk, but Francesca May manages to strike a balance. Emmeline in particular was fascinating, a study in contrasts, although I would have liked her gender nonconformity to be more explored.

This is a dark novel with dark themes, abuse and sexual assault among them; Emmeline uses sacrificial blood magic, and such magic has a price.

I found the romance not as developed as I would have liked; then again, with such a packed plot, it might be expected. The mutual fascination between Emmeline and Annie is explored, but I got the feeling that it wouldn’t have taken that form if not for their link.

What I really loved was Annie’s journey; seeing her coming into her own and realizing her queerness, in every sense of the word, and accepting herself.

✨ 3.5 stars