As a massive fan of In Other Lands, I was eagerly awaiting Sarah Rees Brennan’s adult fantasy debut. When I was approved for this arc, I was over the moon with joy. However, in the process of reading, I started to notice some… odd details. Similarities, if you will, to another book I read and loved. And, as I kept reading, these similarities started to add up.

Each plot twist followed that of the original book. Each pairing in Long Live Evil was a mirror to the romantic dynamics from the other book. Motifs like an abyss, a betrayal, a demonic sword with a very plot relevant name, a character transmigrating after their untimely death into the role of the villain in their favorite book, the villain becoming a surprise love interest, a character crawling out of the abyss to become a demonic emperor, a surprise twist reveal that a secondary character was also a transmigrated character, that secondary character being associated with both cowardice and being a spy, that character having a romance with a character whose name starts with M and who was associated with ice powers and had a cold and stoic personality —

This is just the plot of The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu.

I can hear what you’re saying. Maybe this is all a coincidence. These are just tropes. Maybe Sarah Rees Brennan hasn’t even read this book. It’s possible she hasn’t even heard of it.

Except, psych, I know that isn't it because Sarah Rees Brennan mentioned Mo Xiang Tong Xiu by name in the acknowledgments section of this book.

And, to make it worse, this time it’s heterosexual.

Look, I have a lot of patience with tropes. I thought this was a fun read! But, listen, I’m gonna level with y’all, here. If you rip off the plot of a book and you straightwash it? If you take two characters who were gay men and you make it heterosexual?

(Yes, I know there’s a side f/f couple in Long Live Evil, and MXTX, for all her charms, has a stunning lack of lesbians, so we’re at a net zero for representation. That being said, this is the main couple we’re talking about!)

I don’t even have that much to say about Long Live Evil itself. I realize this must be frustrating for people who clicked on this looking for a review of the book, but I don’t have very much to say. Sometimes, the writing and dialogue are very funny; sometimes they’re cringy (a Taylor Swift reference? This will feel so dated in a year). The characters were charming, but I wonder how much of that is my ability to connect them with characters from another book —

Okay, okay, I’ll stop now. I just – I feel like I’ve entered bizarro world. Is this how Hbomberguy felt making the James Somerton video?

I’m still gonna pick up book two, though.

One of my favorite reads of the year. A wild ride I absolutely adored. I instantly fell in love with the characters and the world!

Oh, what a marvelous adventure this was! A portal to a fantasy world—surely, the most enchanting of all tropes—had me instantly captivated. A tale of a woman whisked away into the pages of her beloved book? How utterly divine! Though, I must confess, at the start I found myself quite bewildered, unsure of the players and their roles. Yet, at precisely the quarter mark, I was entranced, completely enraptured by the unfolding drama. The plot thickened with intriguing characters, courtly intrigue, deliciously devious schemes, sharp wit, a hint of romance, dashing sword fights, and even a touch of the macabre, with zombies no less!

The author, in her cleverness, wove insightful musings on the nature of fiction itself, with a particular nod to the romantasy genre and our tendency to form deep attachments to characters. Rae’s poignant journey, marked by her battle with illness, mirrored the author’s own experiences, lending the story a heart-wrenching authenticity. How splendid it was to watch Rae rise from her trials, reclaim her power, and emerge victorious in a world of fantasy! The conclusion was indeed satisfying, but I find myself yearning for more, terribly attached as I’ve become to these charming characters—a most amusing irony given the book’s theme of readerly attachment. I dare say, this delightful tale ensnared me completely, leaving me bereft upon its end!

This was another of my most anticipated reads of the year. I will say that,,,I did enjoy this book but it wasn't technically the best thing out there--the characters can be very tropey and lack some needed complexity, the pacing was a little inconsistent, and the twists and turns were pretty evident if you were paying attention. But, that really didn't stop me from enjoying this book a good amount. I think that it boils down to the fact that Sarah Rees Brennan's narrative voice/writing style are really compelling and are snappy enough to keep you reading in the face of a basic story. I will definitely read whatever comes next, and I do like this author and want more from them no matter what!

This is my favorite book I've read all year and I immediately went to buy a physical copy when I finished. I'm already ready to reread it, and the next in the series doesn't even have a release date yet, HELP. I mean this in the most complimentary way, this was like the world's best self-insert Game of Thrones fanfiction with a healthy dose of satire. 

Rae is 19 and dying when she's offered a chance to find a magical cure for her illness by entering the realm of her favorite fantasy book series, a medieval world rife with politics and scheming, and the occasional dragon, magical power, and undead enemy. The catch is, Rae wakes up in the body of a villain, the seductive and wily Rahela, aka the Beauty Dipped in Blood, the day before she's to be executed. And who's ordered her execution? Rae's favorite character, of course. 

This book is hilarious, heartwarming, and heartwrenching. It has realistically complex characters to love and hate (so many new favorites), and an intelligent and compelling commentary on women's roles and archetypes in both fiction and life, and tongue-in-cheek satire of fantasy cliches. All of this plus an incredibly compelling fantasy plot and numerous subplots, romantic and otherwise, that kept me reading long into the night. 
I think readers who are also writers will find this especially entertaining. The way it looks at different types of characters and their roles within a story and how that impacts them as people was something I hadn't thought about before. But everything else aside, this book was just so FUN. A lot of the time I think we recognize that a book is incredibly well-written and has a lot to say, or that a story is a good time and a fun distraction from real life, but this is all of that wrapped into one. Please please PLEASE read it. 

Thank you to Orbit and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review, I can't wait to see where this story goes next!

LONG LIVE EVIL was a fun, enchanting, and unique book. It's one of those books that stands out to you simply because it is a wild ride and is a book that is hyperaware of itself, while also creating an engaging and thoughtful novel. I loved the humor within it and I read it in two days, even though I started back to work this week and was fighting to stay awake after 14 hour long days.

This book focuses on the villains of the story rather than the heroes. The FMC, Rae, is offered a second chance at life by being dropped into her favorite book (think Game of Thrones level fantasy world). When she emerges in the story, she is the villainess and to reach her goal, she decides to embrace this role. The book does a great job of almost breaking the fourth wall in a way, point out the tropes that are prevalent in fantasy novels in a comical and almost satirical way, which is what makes it so much fun, and to me, a unique story.

But what also makes it unique is the fact that the characters are fully fleshed out and have their own motivations, hopes, dreams, while also being almost stereotypes to the fantasy tropes. The characters are fully realized individuals who work within this complex, multifaceted storyline that the author has created. It's a fun story, but it is also an engaging one that focuses on the relationships between people, what it means to be a villain or a hero, and how to live fully for oneself.

I will say that this book might not be for everyone. It takes a few chapters to get into because you're basically plopped into this complex fantasy world with little to no world building to orient you as a reader, while the characters are already knowledgeable. It has modern language, which bothers some individuals with fantasy novels. There are multiple POVs that seem to not really push the story forward (but I personally think it is to propel the narrative forward for future novels and to give insight into these complex characters). And the humor might not be to everyone's tastes.

Overall, to me, this was a great story and a great way to point out the best and worst of fantasy novels in a fun way. If you love villains and villainesses, a good story, books that are hyperaware of themselves, and complex characters, read this one.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Long Live Evil
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Time of Iron #1
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Aug 27, 2024
Orbit Books
Ages 16+

Stricken with cancer, Rae is dying and days before her death a woman comes to her side and gives her a second chance at life. Take a trip into her sister's favorite fantasy series (and kind of hers) and attempt to retrieve a flower that blooms once a year that can gift healing. If she can, she'll wake in her world and live, if she fails she'll stay in that fantasy world and die in hers.

Agreeing to take the chance because of her love for her sister, Rae wakes in a castle perched on the edge of the hellish chasm inside the body of a villainess woman from the story who is condemned to a painful death for treason. Knowing, mostly, what happens in the story, she uses this knowledge to save her life and become the king's profit. Taking on her role as prophet and villainess, Rae schemes to steal the flower, telling herself that the people are not really people, even though she meets a person from her own world and she finds out that they are both changing the story.


I was hoping for an evil funny story, the cover adding to the promise that an evil woman would be the hero(ish), but that was not delivered. Sure she pretended to be evil and schemed but her humanity showed its good intentions.

It was a hard story to get into, and I found myself reading instead of falling into the book. A few times I did think about dnfing this, but I pushed through hoping for the best. At least the twist was a shock, though not electrifying.

Rae using her world's slang and the acceptance of this threw the story off. There should have been more questioning from the others, but they blew it off because she was evil.

There were a few chapters where a different character's point of view was given and a couple of them had points to them, but the others not so much and made it hard to keep interest in the main story. I would see either taking them out and just having Rae's p.o.v would have worked, or centering on only a couple in addition to hers, and giving them more chapters could have given the story and the characters a rounding effect on them and the story.

Will I read the next book in the series? Maybe, if I can get it on the cheap.

Not a bad story, but not great.

A low...

3 Stars

I'm unwell.

I've been unalived by a very painful cliffhanger, and my heart is broken, and I need to know when the next book is going to come out. 10 out of 10. Highly recommend.

The moment I first saw this book I KNEW I needed to get my hands on it. And I S C R E A M E D when I got the ARC.

This book was simply unhinged, but in the best ways possible. This was Assistant to the Villain but MORE, and if the Villain was actually an unhinged bad guy and not just kind of grumpy and scary looking. Like, my brain is still trying to process everything that has happened. Shoutout to Mikayla who also had this as an ARC and agreed to buddy read it with me. I'm all for sharing in the stress, trauma, and gushing over our Goth Daffodil.

I knew I was going to enjoy this book because:
1. It's written by Sarah Rees Brennan, and I LOVED her Demon's Covenant series. I love the way she writes and the characters she creates.
2. It's a Villainess/Transmigration/Isekai story. And those are my FAVORITE tropes in a manhwa.

This was giving The Remarried Empress x Villains Are Destined to Die x another one I can't think of the name right now. And honestly? I was all for it

Please don't go into this book and take it too seriously. It's not meant to be read that way, and it definitely doesn't take ITSELF seriously. (mostly)If you're a heavy fantasy reader, this one is NOT going to be for you.

This was kind of a long book, but that's because everyone/everything had a name/title that were a whole paragraph long. The Once and Forever Emperor, The Beauty Dipped in Blood, The Palace on the Edge, etc. For that reason, it takes just a little while to actually get into the groove of the story. But once you understand all the characters and plot starts plotting, it is SO! GOOD!

Octavian: I wanted to like him. Really, I did. But he just kept disappointing me. I dislike him almost as much as I dislike Sovieshu from The Remarried Empress

KEY! IS! THE! BEST! I want to compare him to Eckles... and yeah he does give those vibes. I don't think he's quite as cray cray... or maybe he's MORE? I don't know. I just know that I love him with every fiber of my being, and he deserves the whole wide world. Long Live the beautiful Goth Daffodil.

Like I said above, I really liked the idea of Rae getting thrown into this story as the villainess. I also really liked the idea of her trying to keep the story on the path that it's supposed to take, only for it to go incredibly awry.

I stayed up way late finishing because once I started I couldn't stop. It was (mostly) worth it. Though I did cry a thousand tears of sadness. And I'm still an emotional wreck if I think about it for too long. It's great. Everyone should feel this way.

There's probably a lot more I could say about this book, but I don't want to enter spoiler zone, SO READ IT!

Much love to Orbit books for letting me have an ARC of this! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#YouCryin? (YES, yes I am)



After finishing this:
This book is unhinged in the best way possible. I knew I'd like it because
1. This is Sarah Rees Brennan, and I loved her Demon's Covenant series
2. I LOVE isekai/transmigration/villainess manwhas.

Actual review is coming a little closer to publication day, but you're definitely not going to want to miss this one!

Thank you, Orbit books for the ARC!

I really liked this book. I enjoyed every minute that I spent lost in its pages. Brennan crafted a wonderful love letter to the villain. This is a tale for anyone that has ever fallen in love with the villain.
The dialogue was as clever in its choice of words and execution. I felt like I was offered a different perspective into what it means to be a villlain. These are the characters that we may get to see a bit into their back stories, but not quite in this way. This book is only the beginning, as I can see this taking us even deeper into the fold in the next instalment(s). I really do want more, but I can’t say of what (no spoilers).
The characters are well developed over the course of this book, but there are still questions left to be answered - I cannot say more for fear of spoiling the adventure that I experienced while reading this book - but I have faith that it will come. I cannot forget to mention the context in which this book takes place… a story within a story to give the main character a second (maybe even a third) chance at life. I loved the chaos of the story.
It was obvious to me that Brennan put her soul into the pages of this story. Those acknowledgments really explain just how much - strange to be acknowledging this part of the book, right? Not if you let yourself be immersed into what she wrote. I am having such a hard time articulating exactly what feelings this book has brought up in me, so you’ll just have to trust me and walk in with an open mind and let yourself enjoy the journey.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an e-arc of this book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

I adored everything about this book. I had seen this book being talked about for a few weeks, possibly a couple of months, and the premise sounded amazing. I adore a good (harhar) villain.
This was the first book I've read of Sarah Rees Brennan, so I had no idea if I'd enjoy the writing style, but I absolutely did. She created some of the most interesting characters I've ever read, and I can't wait to read more of her books.

The premise of the book is that Rae,in our own world, is in the hospital dying. Her younger sister is obsessed with a Game of Thrones type series of books, and over time has gotten Rae into the series as well. But there are gaps in Rae's knowledge about parts of the series, particularly the first book, as she wasn't necessarily paying attention when her sister was reading it to her.
Shortly after we're introduced to this information, someone approaches Rae in her hospital room and tells her she can transport her into the world of the books, and if she manages to complete the quest she's been given, she'll exit the book's world to come back to our world, and she'll be healed. No more dying. Since Rae has literally nothing to lose, she goes for it. But once she's there she realizes she's playing the part of the villain, and everyone hates her. So she decides to play the part she's been given with everything she's got.
The story itself was excellent. Rae was such a compelling main character, and the side characters were just as good. The banter and the epic one liners were PERFECTION.
I requested the DRC from Netgalley first, even though I don't like reading books on Kindle, since I read on the kindle app on my phone, but I desperately wanted to read Long Live Evil. And I have no regrets. If I'm reading a book on Kindle and it's a little slow, I can be distracted easily by notifications that come in on my phone, but I had zero problems staying interested in Long Live Evil. The audiobook was available on Netgalley some time after the DRC, and I requested it as well because I already wanted to read the book again. I was excited to see that Moira Quirk was the narrator. One of my favorite series is The Locked Tomb series, and Moira Quirkhas narrated all of the audiobooks in the series so far, and she's brilliant. She did such an amazing job with Long Live Evil.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

4.5 ⭐️
Sarah Rees Brennan’s *Long Live Evil* is an engaging and darkly humorous exploration of villainy that flips the script on traditional hero narratives. Brennan's sharp wit and clever storytelling shine through as she gives us a fresh perspective on characters typically cast as antagonists.

One of the aspects I loved most about this book is how Brennan makes you rethink the concepts of villains and heroes. It’s a refreshing reminder that so much of what we perceive as good or evil is all about perspective. By diving deep into the psyche of her “evil” protagonists, Brennan challenges the reader to question the very nature of morality, making these characters relatable even as they tread morally gray areas. I especially appreciated how Brennan sprinkled in minor details, like their interactions with animals, which made the characters feel more grounded and real.

The pacing of the story is brisk, keeping you hooked from start to finish. The plot is full of twists and turns that are both surprising and satisfying, maintaining a sense of unpredictability throughout. Brennan’s use of humor is also a standout, balancing the darker elements of the story with moments of levity.

Overall, *Long Live Evil* is a fun, thought-provoking read that challenges conventional ideas of good and evil. Fans of twisted fairy tales and villain-centric stories will find much to love here. Sarah Rees Brennan has crafted a tale that is as much about self-discovery as it is about embracing the darker sides of our nature. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and entertaining twist on classic fantasy tropes.

**Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.**

overall rating: 1.25 stars

plot: ¼
pace: ¼
prose: 0
main character: 0
side characters: ¼
worldbuilding: 0
concept/tropes: ¼
ending: 0
entertainment value: ¼
emotional resonance: 0

i was not the audience for this and would've never picked it up if it wasn't for someone's rec. unfortunately, i did pick it up and had to read all the way through the arc to leave the review.

the most shocking thing off the bat was the train wreck of the prose. i'm not sure if it got better as i kept reading or if i just got more used to it. definitely trying hard to be more clever and funny than it could ever hope to be. the premise in general felt very ya fantasy, which is not a surprise since the author is very prolific in ya publishing. quite a few adult topics were introduced but were shied away from getting properly explored beyond a very surface pseudo-deep monologue.

every character in this book felt like they were written to be subversive and yet every one of them was just a little cliche and boring or annoying. all sincerity was smothered with dramatics and failed "irreverent" tone. morality was the most simplistic black and white thing despite the whole concept of the story being how villains and evil in stories is misunderstood. this would be the perfect setup to explore morally gray characters but instead we get a very juvenile and cartoonish view on what evil is.

worlbuilding was garbage. literally give me the most boring unoriginal fantasy setup and it'll be the kingdom of iron, or whatever it was called. the pacing was meandering at best. half of the sequence of events didn't make any logical sense. Rae was the most inconsistent main character. the "plot twist" could be seen from a mile away and the ending was so incredibly abrupt i thought something was wrong with my kindle. even though i get that this is supposed to be a trilogy or a series or something, at least some loose ends should've been tied up.

overall just a weird long unpleasant read and once again a big chunk of that was due to me not being the right audience for this.

thanks to orbit and netgalley for the arc.

I really enjoyed Long Live Evil - there's such a unique premise. A girl experiencing cancer treatment gets dropped right into her favorite series.... however she discovers she's actually the villain.

This story has the best of high fantasy and perfectly mixes in humor and whimsy. I think this will be a forever favorite for a lot of readers!

Rae has found solace in the dark fantasy books about a world ruled by The Once and Forever Emperor, a character she has fallen deeply in love with. She is slowly dying from an incurable disease when she receives a chance at life, if she agrees to enter that fictional world. She wakes up as the beautiful, sexy, and despised villainess of the piece. If this is her chance to live and get back home to her beloved sister, she’ll take it, using the advantages she possesses to form an alliance with other villains in this story to achieve her goals. But will the tale unfold as it's written on the pages, and at what cost?

Rae has found solace in the dark fantasy books about a world ruled by The Once and Forever Emperor, a character she has fallen deeply in love with. She is slowly dying from an incurable disease when she receives a chance at life, if she agrees to enter that fictional world. She wakes up as the beautiful, sexy, and despised villainess of the piece. If this is her chance to live and get back home to her beloved sister, she’ll take it, using the advantages she possesses to form an alliance with other villains in this story to achieve her goals. But will the tale unfold as it's written on the pages, and at what cost?

This book will suck readers in from the first page. Rae is an unforgettable character. Her sense of determination, her vulnerability, her struggles, and her inner, infinite capacity for love make her the character to root for, even if she’s playing the villain. Anyone who finds themselves wanting to see the villainess’ side of the story will absolutely love Rae’s point of view. The co-conspirators will also win readers over to their side. Each has a compelling story, and a reason why readers would want them to prevail in this story. In fact, no character is exactly what their archetype would suggest, which makes this story so much more fun.

Rees Brennan's writing is so beautiful and lyrical. She has taken portal fantasy and recreated something incredibly special. The world-building is great, with a setting where darkness is intrinsic; and death, blood, and fire is written into the very fabric of the environment. The mythos is unique but also feels reminiscent of existing origin stories, lore, and legends. The imagery is so vivid and iconic with scenes that feel highly cinematic. Readers won’t be able to decide whether they are horrified at this often eerie world, or if they want to find a portal they can walk through just to hang out at one of the gatherings (or just be a fly on the wall). There’s some court intrigue, sword and sorcery, dark romance, enviable fashion/style, heartbreaking betrayals and reveals, and even humor that pokes fun at pop culture as it deals with a fish out of water character. The climax is spectacular and won’t leave readers unmoved. Long Live Evil is a great name for this book, because that’s exactly how readers will feel when they read the last page.

this one’s fun! the premise is that a girl gets thrown into her favorite fantasy series but as the villain, and all the chaos and fun plays out from there. i’ll admit that there is some inherent cringiness in having a fantasy character use modern day slang, but it makes sense for the character so once you get past that it’s an adventure of a read. the ending is unexpected and, to quote queen leigh’s blurb on the cover, “supremely satisfying.”

This turned out to be a pretty good read. The first half was okay, but I couldn't get into it all that well. But the second half was really good. It's a mix of genres, with some good little twists in it. It has dark, witty humor.
It was worth the read. If you are interested in fantasy anti-hero stories, you should give this a try.
I did get this as an ARC from Netgalley, but these opinions are my own

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan has a really intriguing premise, and I was excited to dive in. The idea of a character embracing their evil side in a twisted fantasy world sounded like a lot of fun. However, the execution fell a bit flat for me.

The story itself felt strange, with some parts being overly campy and others dragging on without much substance. The characters were hit or miss—some were really interesting, while others felt underdeveloped and, honestly, very boring. I was hoping for more from the 'evil' aspect, but it didn’t quite deliver on that front.

On a brighter note, Moira Quirk did an amazing job narrating the audiobook. Her ability to switch between different voices and accents really brought the characters to life and added a layer of enjoyment to the experience. If it wasn't for her narration, I honestly probably would have DNF'ed this book.

Overall, Long Live Evil didn’t live up to its potential for me. If you're a fan of campy fantasy with a mix of humor and Disney villain "darkness," then you might like this book.

Thank you to Orbit for my review copy, my opinions are my own.

This was a fabulous story of everything that could go wrong when a reader has been transported into their favorite book series. It reminded me of the My Next Life As A Villainess anime, but with more depth and very intriguing characters. I was completely devastated by some of the turns and twists. Be prepared to yell at the book.

I loved that Rae has some memory issues which causes some hilarity and some insane situations that she can't bluff her way out of. I am super excited for the next book in the series.

Long Live Evil is the wickedly delightful fantasy you never knew you needed! This book flips the script on epic fantasy by putting us right in the villain’s shoes—and oh, what a ride it is. Rae, our sharp-tongued, bookish heroine-turned-villainess, wakes up in her favorite fictional world only to find out she’s not the plucky protagonist but the baddie. And honestly? She’s here for it, and so am I.
The rogues' gallery the author assembles is pure perfection—a murderous maid with a penchant for axes, a brooding knight with more issues than a medieval tabloid, a bodyguard who’s a little too enthusiastic about his job, and a spymaster who is as charming as he is morally questionable. Their dynamic is chaotic, hilarious, and, surprisingly, full of heart. Watching Rae rally these misfits to defy their tragic fates is as thrilling as it is satisfying.
The Emperor—Rae’s fictional crush brought to life—is as dangerously alluring as you'd expect from a character written to be irresistible, and their cat-and-mouse game is a delicious slow burn. But what really sets this book apart is the author's ability to balance humor, dark fantasy, and a touch of meta-literary genius. The villains get the best lines, the best outfits, and, in Rae’s capable hands, maybe even the best ending.
If you’ve ever found yourself rooting for the villain, Long Live Evil will be your new obsession. It’s smart, sharp, and supremely satisfying—a must-read for anyone who’s ever dreamed of rewriting the story.

Long Live Rae!!! I had a wild good time devouring this book and cheering on the so called viper villains. I will say despite the chance Rae got to escape her dying body and try for a cure from that mysterious woman, she definitely was thrown into the story at an awful time for her character. Props to Rae for the quick thinking that did not end up with her dancing to her death in iron hot shoes (nod the the wicked Queen from Snow White, though Rahela in this one she is just the wicked stepsister). And while Rae hammed up the villain side of things, I did find that all the characters in this dark city of Elam with the Ravine spewing up dead every once in awhile to keep things interesting, were shades of grey, even the so called heroes and the damsels in distress so beautiful that the world falls down to worship them (that would be Lia) had dark sides. I liked the similarities fo Lia and Rahela as Snow White and Rose Red types. It was fun to root for the villains who embraced that darkness while still trying to help the story continue so that love could win and also the Emperor could rise. I absolutely loved Cobra, and the murderous minded Key and of course Rae. I also ended up liking a few others, once their true selves showed through. There are many laugh out loud moments (a horse named Google Maps!) hidden amid the copious amounts of blood shed.

I am happy that someone got their just dessert (such a jerk they were!) and while the book ends on a cliff hanger (I really want to read the next book now!) I was going yes yes yes when the Emperor finally showed up though he seems really scary and I hope he doesn't destroy all the good changes that happened differently from the books that Rae had known.