Lilibet Bombshell's Reviews > Wild and Wicked Things

I was reading some reviews for this book after I had finished it to see what other readers and reviewers had thought of it, and I think one’s enjoyment of this book may be related to how much one enjoys the classic book, “The Great Gatsby”. “Wild and Wicked Things” may as well be a straight-up queer gothic fantasy remix of Gatsby, for the two books have so very much in common, right down to Francesca May’s evocative prose (and a purple light instead of green).

I’m actually a fan of “The Great Gatsby” and all its overall grey morality. “Wild and Wicked Things” is in much the same vein, with a narrator that can, at times, be unreliable and a cast of characters whose moral compasses possibly don’t care which way is north. Like Gatsby, it takes place on an island seemingly segregated by class (in this book the island is called “Crow Island”, while in Gatsby East Egg and West Egg were inspired by the Hamptons) and by prejudice. There’s plenty of alcohol, a sprinkling of illicit substances, and a whole lot of charisma to be found in the mysterious Emmeline (who stands in for Gatsby in this book), a queer witch with many secrets to be kept and mysteries to unravel.

Was this book the most excellent Gatsby-inspired book I’ve read? No. Was it the most entertaining? Yes. It was a page-turner that drew me in and kept me there. I expect that if you didn’t like Gatsby you may not like this book as much as I did, but I hope I’m wrong.

Thanks to NetGalley and Redhook Books for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.