It’s always tempting to go and see “what could have been”, but I found the choice difficult to make the longest I put the book down was while mulling over that decision. I’m not sure how I feel about the choice of endings. (There is one notable exception - the climax of the violent arc is everything you would expect, beautifully executed in every sense of the word.) There was violence throughout the story - it *is* gothic horror, after all - but the author kept the level at the sweet spot where it makes an impact but doesn’t leave you feeling sickened and overwhelmed. Readers of delicate constitution should observe the content warnings - none of it was a problem for me (and the length of the list had me concerned it might be, so do with that what you will), but if you know there are things you absolutely cannot abide, the author has made the full list available to any reader before purchase. Lianyu is a veritable wizard at ratcheting up sexual tension over multiple scenes - an early scene involving the vampire Mrs Edevane being granted permission to drink from Gean Choo’s wrist packs as much of an erotic punch as a full sex scene in the hands of a less skilled author. It’s dark and violent, with exquisite tension and beautiful attention to details. I read it over the past two weeks, savouring it in small pieces and then devouring whole chunks at once.

I’d already pre-ordered it, as its premise - vampires and a love triangle in 1920s Singapore - sounded exactly like what I wanted right then.

I was honoured to be given an advance copy of The Wicked and the Willing by Lianyu Tan.

Lianyu tan