This audiobook was received as an ARC from Disney Audiobooks - Disney Hyperion through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Susanne Blakeslee did an exceptional job as the narrator of the seventh installment of one of my favorite series. Serena Valentino meant for these books to paint a picture of the "true" story of these villains and how they came to be the greatest villains of our generation, and Susanne Blakeslee exemplified the imagery through her powerful voice. I got a whole new perception of Evil Thing by listening to the audiobook, then i did reading the novel through the voice in my head. It's amazing how the story comes to life listening to the audiobook, or even better, listening to the audiobook and reading the book together.

A captivating new take on the classic Disney movie. This audiobooks deserve 5 stars.

I love these books. I like getting to see the side of the villains and their stories. Cruella De Vil's was so entertaining and I loved the old money world view that was used in this story.

I love when you get to see the other side of things and really think about how things came to be. We get a very interesting look of how Cruella came to be, how all the little pieces added up. A fast, fun read that gives you lots of background info.
I loved the narrator, the voice was perfect!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love a good audio book and this one was so well done! Valentino does a wonderful job telling Cruella's story from start to finish. It was very descriptive and thorough and I appreciated that because it kept my attention.

If you love audio books, are a fan of Cruella then this is one you will not want to miss out on.

4 Stars for the novel
5 Stars for the narrator

Behind every villain, there is a tragic backstory. This story behind Cruella De Vil is no exception. Her past was littered with tragedy: a father who passed away when she was young, boarding school, an absent and cruel mother, mean girls, society pressure, a husband who may or may not be what he seems... all mix together in this captivating retelling of 101 Dalmatians. This story is told from Cruella's point of view and reads more like a memoir than a fictional story. I loved that. Cruella ties in the "common narrative" of what happens in the Disney version and hints future events to come at several points throughout the story.
What I loved most: this story explains Cruella's jade earrings, her outfit choices and her burning desire to have furs made out of puppies. It does a great job of explaining everything behind Cruella and her motivation. I think students and middle schoolers would enjoy getting a glimpse into the backstory of one of the most famous Disney villains.
The narrator is delightful. I loved the voice - it was a perfect match for Cruella's voice in my head.

Susanne Blakeslee does a fantastic Cruella voice! It appears she did all the voices for this and they are all great!

The story is very Disney. This is not the same origin story line as the Cruella movie that just came out and that is perfectly fine. Serena did a great job of making you feel like you were in 1920's London and managed to make Cruella likable. The story is fairly simple and I think will do great with middle graders.

Trigger warnings: death of a parent, death of a spouse

Cruella De Vil’s tale is a sad story; as a child she is raised by servants and is constantly striving for her mother’s love. Because the book is written in the first person, it reads like a diary or oral history of Cruella's life.

Why Cruella became obsessed with Dalmatians and fur coats is explained through her relationship (or lack thereof) with her cold and unloving mother. Her mother’s gifts of fur coats make the young Cruella believe that money buys love.

Cruella is driven mad by her grief and loneliness in the end because she has ostracized the few people who really cared about her. Her friend Anita is removed from her life because Cruella's mother doesn't approve of her. Her puppy Perdita (yes, that Perdita), a final gift from her deceased father, is given to Anita when Cruella's mother disapproves of animals.

While the other books in the series may need to be read in order, this novel is a standalone that can be read without knowledge of the rest of the series. Fans of the Disney movie Cruella will have a much different story here, which may disappoint some readers.

Susanne Blakeslee is the perfect narrator for this book. She captures Cruella's drama and preoccupation with fashion and wealth.

Recommended for Disney fans and readers who like stories from the villain's perspective.

It's always interesting to learn the back story of an evil villain. This book makes you sympathize with Cruella but also makes you wonder why she didn't see her mistakes and make different choices. I will say that if you are familiar with the new movie release on Disney +, it is not the same story, but I enjoyed this story just as much. The narrator was excellent and read in character the entire time. For those of us who grew up watching 101 Dalmatians, you will love it. And for those who have not seen it, the story is explained so you can jump right in. Recommended for all Disney lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Disney Audiobooks, and Disney Hyperion for the opportunity to review this title!

Evil Thing is the 7th title in the Villains series, but can be read as a stand-alone because each book focuses on a different villain.

Evil Thing by Serena Valentino is probably the best audiobook I have ever listened to! I think the way the story is written will help readers connect with Cruella as a character. Most of us have heard the story of 101 Dalmations, so we view Cruella as villain automatically, but few of us ever stop to consider her side of the story. Why was she the way she was?

Evil Thing provides us with an extensive backstory that begins in Cruella's childhood. She was raised with wealth and privilege, but what she desired the most was the love and attention of her parents. Cruella experienced various disappointments and tragedies through her childhood and young adult life. She eventually circles around to the events that led up to what happened in 101 Dalmations and shares her perspective of how the events played out.

The narrator for this audiobook was fantastic and I believe she played the role of Cruella perfectly. She did an excellent job of portraying the emotions that Cruella felt about different events, which helped me engage with the story better. I believe that she did an accurate job of portraying how Cruella changed from an innocent young girl into a woman that has been made hard and bitter by her life experiences. The last few minutes of this book gave me chills, which rarely happens when I listen to audiobooks. I think that speaks volumes for how awesome the narration is for this audiobook!

I would recommend this book for children 12-18.

#EvilThing
#NetGalley

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Cruella DeVil, like many villains before her, is grossly misunderstood. In Evil Thing, Valentino does a great job building a backstory for one of my favorite villains.

Beginning when she is just a young child, Evil Thing explores the key relationships in Cruella's life, particularly that with her Mama, Father and Anita. Through the examination of these relationships, the Reader begins to understand how Cruella developed into the person we come to know through the original-101 Dalmatians animated film. In fact, there is even a portion at the end that overlaps with the timeline from that original movie.

The narrative is told from Cruella's perspective, as if she is recounting her life story. The narrator, Susanne Blakeslee, absolutely nailed Cruella's voice and intonation. It was an incredible voice performance; highly recommend the audiobook.

Having read previous books in this series, I was actually surprised by the level of depth this one had. Pleasantly surprised. Cruella's story is a tragic one, full of disappointments, neglect and heartbreak. I felt for her, but I also wanted to shake her. She seemed to be blinded by love a lot of time; unable to see people for who they truly were, to her detriment.

Overall, this is an engaging and fast-paced story. If you are a Cruella fan, I definitely recommend checking this one out. Also, please do listen to the audiobook if you have the opportunity. It really is a stellar Cruella performance.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I really enjoyed my time with it!

I had not read any of the previous books in this series, but I couldn't pass up the chance to listen to it as an audiobook. I really enjoyed the story of Cruella De Vil and I loved the narrator for this book.. I thought it was a great story and really fun to listen to. I will definitely go back and check out the other books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio copy to listen to and review.

Oh my goodness the narrator is incredible! I'm low-key obsessed with the idea of hearing stories from the villan's point of view. This story was absolutely brilliant! Cruella De Vil tells her side of the story; but from the beginning. The writing is so engaging I was sucked right in! Definitely going to seek out more from Serena Valentino.

Another in the long line of “back stories” for some of pop culture’s favorite heroes and villains, this version of the history of Cruella De Vil attempts to make a sympathetic character out of one of the cruelest of the cruel - and succeeds!!
Author Serena Valentino takes readers all the way back to a neglected little girl whose desperate (and misplaced) love for her mother leads her to a life of delusion, devoid of love. Cruella’s heartbreaking story helps readers understand how a cold-hearted mother, a gone-too-early father, and a tragic loss of true love led to the mental (and physical) demise of a bright and full-of-potential young girl. Although Cruella feels glimpses of love throughout her life, the lack of consistency and the domineering presence of her malevolent mother lead her to the infamous evil doings.

I thoroughly enjoyed the voice actor’s performance, except at the end - I’m not sure that shouting and cackling loudly was necessary to get the point across. I found myself lowering the volume or skipping ahead a few seconds rather than have my ears assaulted.

One thing that bothers me … Cruella was portrayed so pathetically that I kept waiting for a redemption. I wanted this poor little girl to find some sort of love or comfort that stayed - but it never happened. I understand that a villain has to be tragic, but readers are led to so much understanding about Cruella’s behavior that I really wanted the happy ending for her that I seemed to be promised. But, alas… I guess there are constraints imposed when dealing with a classic.
This novel is perfect for my middle school classes and as this was my first experience with the series, it definitely inspired me to check out the rest of the related stories and add them to my classroom collection.