Wen-yi Lee's fiery adult debut is not to be missed. Set in 1970s Singapore, Lee crafts a narrative steeped in history, rage, dangerous gods, and gangsters always ready to fight. Adeline is a main character that keeps you on your toes and tugs you along with her on all her decisions. What really shines about this novel is the biting prose that Lee does so well. Adeline's rage and grief is felt so viscerally through the prose and it is no surprise that these emotions intertwine so fluidly and deeply with all the themes of the story as you continue on. This book is a fire in itself, blazing through your heart and lingering after you finish the last page. If you enjoyed: the intensity of R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War, the mystery and historical fantasy setting of Chloe Gong's These Violent Delights, and the action and found family of Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows, you will find so many things to love in this book.

A girl gang with fire magic set in 1972 Singapore with sapphic yearning, found family, and a mysterious force targeting the gang? What more could you want? This was such a great read with nuanced characters, a rich setting, and plenty of conflicts to keep you guessing.

The sapphic yearning and discovery was, while not the main focus, hugely important to Adeline’s story.

The setting of Singapore in 1972 is extremely important in the context of this story. The history of Singapore at this time is so rich and I love how Lee wove in magical gangs with ties to old gods. Even the ending is crucial to how Singapore had changed and advanced during this time.

When They Burned the Butterfly is a tragic masterpiece that ties together Singaporean history, found family among the least protected, and the power of unassuming girls.

Rating: 3.5 stars
I really enjoyed this but I was expecting it be much more 'adult' than it is. I even checked to make sure because this reads very much like a young adult novel, not necessarily in a bad way but in the writing style and its approach to its content and themes. It is not just the young main character (she is about 16 years old) because I have read other adult novels with young protagonists. There really does not seem to be anything here that I would mark as appropriate specifically for adults, rather than teens, so I am curious as to why it was chosen to be marketed as an adult fantasy novel.

Although I was extremely excited about a butchfemme Singaporean fantasy novel, this aspect dampened by experience. If I had known this would be the case, I could have adjusted my expectations accordingly but as such, I find that the novel's level of engagement/exploration of its themes to be more surface-level in a way that I am more inclined to forgive if it was marketed as a young adult novel.

“I’ve seen my father give his body to the pipe and my mother to the cards, I’ve seen men die for flesh and wine. to give yourself too far over is the most dangerous thing you can do”

thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for this early review copy, it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year.

angry girls with the fury of ancient gods in their veins and the power of fire fighting against a patriarchal society that is killing the most vulnerable women with drugs that make them beautiful simply to make a profit. atmospheric city life filled with opposing gangs all fuelled by different gangs fighting for territory, honour and power. at the heart of this is fury and family, finding the thing you’re willing to die for, the revenge you’re willing to give yourself over to.

I think my only reason for rating this 3 and not 4 is I found the pacing to be slightly off, there were alot of parts where nothing really developed and then so much would happen at once? but honestly still a good read

I was thrilled to get the ARC for this book because the title and cover immediately drew me in. Now that I read this book I can proudly say this author is an extremely talented woman.

This book is thick. It has a lot of things going on that may be hard to fully understand because of the names, towns, gangs, all being Singapore based. But even when you feel like you’re confusing names you still fully understand the plot and that was feminine rage, magical gangsters, and found family, along with some mystery built in.

It was a sad story filled with lots of loss and I think the author did that part of the story justice. Nothing was sugar coated. Nothing was meant to be tied up in a bow and made pretty. It was perfectly imperfect just as the characters we grew to love.

It’s books like this that make me so proud to be a woman and at the same time angry. My favorite part of this story was the characters ability to feel the rage and pain of other women who died in the past. Being tethered to them in a special way was something we can all experience even without magic.

We got here because of the sacrifices women have made in the past. And damn did this book do that dynamic justice.

Also, I’m happy to read this during Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month AND pride month. It’s my first read of the month and just fit in perfectly.

DNFed at 50%.

This wasn't totally the book's fault. It turns out that my dislike of organized crime extends to magical organized crime, even if it involves lesbians! But honestly the setting was lush, the mystery was intriguing for what it was. The world building was thin and could have been bulked up. I had a lot of questions (why did only crime gangs get access to magic? How did that come about? Why couldn't just anyone access it? Was it not widely used enough?) that maybe got answered in the later half, but I just wasn't motivated enough to finish. This was just personal taste.

Thank you Net Galley and Tor Books for the eARC, i am now a numb & obsessed puddle. who’s killing the Butterflies & what’s going on in the underbelly of 1972 Singapore? i had such a fun time reading this, love an intense fantasy that will leave you reeling & wanting more at the end! the world-building was so intricate and intriguing—but how could i not love it when there’s: gangsters, different gods & fire magic, sapphics (i have no words them, my SEXY & beautiful babies😫), feminine rage, and a tattooing magic system (lol at me getting jealous every time someone got one). FMC, Adeline Siow is a FORCE & her character arc is just *chefs kiss* (reminded me of my loves: jude duarte & alex stern 🫶🏾), from the opening line alone, you’re gonna love her and be compelled to follow her journey into a shaky world, that oddly feels like home (found family trope anyone 😉). also i have to mention this: Adeline, Tian, and Pek Mun are SO Vi, Caitlyn, and Jinx coded that i could not stop thinking about it.

short & sweet to avoid spoilers but this was so fiery (no pun intended), sexy and thrilling. Wen-Yi Lee, you have made a fan out of me & i cannot wait to reread again with the physical release (like i NEED it)!! 🔥💉🦋(deeply wanting to go dive into Jade City and The Poppy War now omg)

As a lover of Wen-yi Lee's YA novel THE DARK WE KNOW, I, of course, couldn't wait to get my hands on her sapphic adult debut! The best news? It is as good as you'd expect from this concept and incredible author! This epic, historical fantasy hits in all the right spots, and I can only say one thing: prepare to be sick of me by October 21st, 2025!

Wait this book was good I had to go back and reread some of the book again to get an understanding of it and I am glad that I did it was great I will recommend

What a book! Wen-yi Lee's rendition of Singapore in BUTTERFLY is what draws me in the most - I always feel myself getting sucked in to the world she's crafted, gangsters and magic and Catholic school and girls. I loved Adeline as a main character, and the lengths she'd go for her goals. The narration was great too! I think where this book lost me was the plot (a bit confusing and since it was written as a coming-of-age story, the consistent action without a lot of introspection made me wish the story had a bit more room to breathe) and the initial chapters. In the initial chapters, I kept seeing this book as a blend of Jade City and The Poppy War and not as its own thing, because everything about Adeline, the writing style, the atmosphere, etc, all of it painted this book as a JC+TPW remix rather than its own thing, and I felt myself frustrated by how familiar it felt) It was only about 50% of the way through that the book really hooked me in and erased those comparisons from my mind. However, I still think the writing was amazing and I loved the world, so I'd 1000% recommend this book!

dreamy, violent, dizzying, complex, and gayyyyy. WHEN THEY BURNED THE BUTTERFLY is a hypnotic journey into a parallel world of Singapore's god-based magical gangs (yessss) and the rage & power burning there. It's about girlhood, transformation, and growing teeth, and although the 16yo main character often made this feel more YA than adult (and the plot sometimes lost me, ngl) I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

When I read the synopsis for this book, I was instantly intrigued. I enjoyed learning more about Singapore’s history and how it was interwoven with the magical elements of the story. Adeline was a captivating main character, and I also loved Tian as a character. There was always something happening plot-wise.

I do have a few critiques. I felt like I didn’t get the chance to learn about or feel connected to many of the side characters, so I didn’t feel much of an emotional reaction towards certain scenes. Additionally, after Adeline joined the Butterflies, I felt like event after event would happen without much time dedicated to character growth. I would've liked to have seen more about Adeline’s adjustment to a new lifestyle, as well as the relationship growth between Adeline and Tian.

Overall, this book was a great mix of history, engaging plot, and likeable characters. I would definitely recommend checking this book out.

Oh my God, I love this so so much! The lesbian rep was beautiful and heartbreaking. All of the girls felt fleshed out and real. Adeline was such a captivating main character. Despite being sheltered her whole life, she’s not naïve. She’s intelligent and witty and craves more. Her character arc? Deranged– and I loved it. Tian was probably my favorite character, my beloved hard ass that cares so much for the people around her that she’s willing to sacrifice herself over and over. I loved the way that the butch/femme dynamic was portrayed. The plot was well paced, and I couldn’t put the book down. I need a physical copy. I need my friends to have a copy. I’m obsessed.

DNF at 19% (rating based on what I read).

I’m a big romantic suspense/mafia romance fan and so went into this book eagerly. I enjoyed the setting in Singapore, which gave me a chance to learn some new history, and the potential for a sapphic main pairing. I loved the initial mystery of Adeline learning her mother may have a second life and the idea of wielding fire was simple but effective enough. But then I had to put the book down due to other commitments and did not find myself wanting to return to it after many weeks. I think this means it simply wasn’t for me, unfortunately.

When They Burned the Butterfly is a hauntingly beautiful novel that blends poetic prose with sharp emotional insight. Wen-yi Lee crafts a vivid, immersive world where grief, resistance, and identity intertwine in powerful ways. The butterfly motif—fragile, transformative, and enduring—is woven skillfully throughout, echoing the main character’s journey of loss and self-discovery.

Lee’s writing is lyrical without losing clarity, and the atmosphere is rich with texture and emotion. The characters feel deeply human, especially the protagonist, whose quiet strength and vulnerability make her a compelling lens through which to experience the story. The pacing occasionally slows in the middle, and a few subplots could have used more room to breathe, but overall the narrative remains gripping and emotionally resonant.

This is a novel that lingers long after the last page—a quiet burn that leaves its mark. I’ll definitely be watching for whatever Wen-yi Lee writes next.


Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing group for the eARC.

When They Burned the Butterfly is available Oct. 21, 2025.

From the very first line, When They Burned The Butterfly had me hooked. Wen-yi Lee writes with the confidence of a seasoned storyteller, weaving a world so vivid and seamless it feels lived-in. The atmosphere is lush and cinematic, and the tension hums on every page.

At its core, this is a story of vengeance, but it never loses sight of the emotional cost behind the fury. It balances righteous rage with aching tenderness, especially in its exploration of identity, legacy, and the burden of survival.

Adeline is a standout—sharp, vulnerable, and utterly compelling. Her journey feels both personal and epic, and the world around her only deepens the stakes.
Fierce, haunting, and full of fire, this is a debut you’ll want to keep your eye on. I can’t wait to see what Wen-yi Lee writes next.

A killer debut. From the first line, this felt like a seasoned author who knew exactly how to craft their story. The worldbuilding was so deft you couldn’t see the brushstrokes, and it made for such an immersive read. And for those who love a good revenge story, this one does a fantastic job of it, embracing both the satisfaction of righteous fury and the devastation of its consequences. The only element that didn’t hit for me was the romance, but I think that’s more personal preference than anything.

I had a good time reading it i loveddd how it was an all female gang and it was smart the concept of the tattoos and fire together was great and the revenge theme may have been a little classic but it was a good read

Fierce, atmospheric, and full of heart, this book completely pulled me in! I loved the rich setting, the fierce sisterhood, and the fresh take on magic and loyalty. A stunning debut that left me excited to see what Wen-yi Lee writes next!

Thankfully, I've just received a physical, which is my preference, so I'll read and rate that instead.