Book Summary and Reviews of When They Burned the Butterfly by Wen-yi Lee

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Teresa_L

Beautiful Historical Fantasy
This was a stunning, beautiful historical fantasy! I was immediately sucked into the magical below the surface 1970's Singapore. The main character Adeline Siow was the best anti-heroine who lived by her own rules and finds her place among this secret underground. I really liked that she had no idea about her mother's life and its the catalyst for the whole plot.

Very fast paced filled with glorious feminine rage! Not a moment will pass while reading where you don't want more! Adeline Siow's character arc is intricate, intriguing and she is a force to be reckoned with. I love a strong female protagonist!

If you read at least one historical fantasy this year, please go check this one out. Author Wen-yi Lee has knocked it out of the park!

Brenda_Wychock

An exciting read
When They Burned the Butterfly is a thrilling read.
I did not want the story to end.
I am looking forward to more from Wen-Yi Lee.
The story was very interesting and it really kept me wanting to know what happens next. The characters, female gangsters with special powers are so interesting. I was rooting for them.

The writing is very descriptive and I was able to visualize everything happening.
If you enjoy YA Fantasy, Magical Realism books then you will enjoy this story. The writing is smooth and not disjointed or hard to follow which really made the book a pleasure to read.

This book was as exciting as These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong.
A five star read for me.

Katherine_M

Historical fantasy set in Singapore could have gone further with period details and magic system, but backdrop and writing are standouts
Loner Singaporean schoolgirl Adeline Siow, can summon the power of the fire goddess, flames to her fingertips, and only realizes the full scope of this power when her mother is killed in a home blaze. At the fiery heart of this story is revenge for this killing, discovering that her mother was the head of a girl gang called Red Butterfly. When Adeline loses her mother and immerses herself into the Butterflies, she becomes close with Ang Tian, another Butterfly. Adeline's life changes completely, moving from a world of school rules and homework at St. Mary's, and becomes immersed in the dangerous gang world of Singapore's red-light district.

Set in post-colonial Singapore, 'When They Burned the Butterfly' is filled with ancient magic, seedy brothels, and warring territorial gangs. The book is set in 1972 Singapore, a newly independent country experiencing a period of rapid change; there was a lot of change and modernization throughout Southeast Asia at this time, even with the Vietnam War still going on. It's a country with many different nationalities, immigrants, and languages, which resulted in a distinct culture. It's an interesting backdrop that inspired Singaporean author Wen-yi Lee to write this novel.

To set a book in such a distinct time period should invite rich historical details, especially when a book describes itself as a historical fantasy: everything from the colonial buildings, the funeral parlors, clothes drying on laundry poles in windows, food markets, street vendors, European cars, to the seventies fashions of the time. There was also a lot of poverty in some areas, which incentivized public campaigns to 'clean up' Singapore. Lee grew up in Singapore but in years far later than the one portrayed in the book; Singapore became a sanitized and strictly ruled country, and I couldn't help but feel that this affected the way Lee wrote (I may be wrong). She could have gone further in describing the red-light district and the violence, especially in an adult novel. It was hard not to think of the sensory elements that 'Butterfly' could have been expanded upon (I was fortunate enough to grow up in Hong Kong, and visited Singapore for the first time as a child, and traveled to many countries in Asia).

The strength of the novel lies in the relationship between Adeline and Tian, who develop deep romantic feelings for each other; their bond adds complexity to the story in general, and it encourages Adeline to discover more about herself. Rage drives Adeline throughout the novel; this overarching theme is the anchor and motivation for her actions, driving her to avenge her mother's death. Despite the length of this novel, it's still somewhat hard to feel close to the main character; there are so many side characters and different gangs to keep track of. It's easy to forget Adeline is a teenager, given her behavior and background. The magic and power system could have been more purposefully described; it comes across as relatively vague. Readers who enjoy this element of fantasy may yearn for more when it comes to understanding how this fire magic works. I found it a little jarring to leave the world of young girls at school, to a world of prostitution and violence (the former being abandoned in an instant). Perhaps there could have been a choice to make Adeline older, instead of another adult fantasy focusing on a teen character; it seemed that Lee shied away from doing so, maybe for fear of losing YA readers.

This is the adult fantasy debut of Wen-yi Lee, whose first novel was a young adult horror, so the author is taking the leap from YA to adult literature, something that seems to be quite common, particularly in the fantasy and horror marketplace. Lee is lyrically gifted, but I would trade some of the dialogue, places on a map, and characters, for more dynamic world-building and action. All that said, 'When They Burned the Butterfly' has a unique setting and Lee is a fresh new voice, who will only get better as she writes more; I hope she writes more books set in Singapore.

Joshua P. (Muskegon, MI)

A solid read
I was very thrilled when I finished this book. I thought it was well written and had outstanding worldbuilding. I felt the characters were well written and the pacing was excellent. I was engrossed in the story right away. I will be recommending this to all my friends.

Sarah_L

A Powerful Story
Adeline is leading what appears to be a normal life in a world where she doesn't fit in. When Adeline's mom is killed in a fire, she doesn't know where to turn for acceptance. Soon she discovers a gang of powerful women who all possess the same ability as her, conjuring fire with their fingers. As Adeline gets in deeper with the gang, she realizes her mother was leading a double life she had no idea about as Madame of the Butterfly gang. Adeline starts to realize who is and where she fits into this new world she has found with the Butterflies.

This book started off a little slow but by the end I couldn't get enough. I enjoyed learning about Adeline's culture and seeing her come to understand who she was meant to be.

Eileen_Burmester

Adult Fantasy
"When They Burned the Butterfly" wasn't my favorite novel. It started slowly, and I initially felt confused about how the magic and the gangs were intertwined. The protagonist, Adeline, embarks on a mission to find her mother's killer and uncover the reasons behind her double life as Madam Butterfly. Throughout her journey, she encounters various characters who help her seek the truth about her mother's death. Although some sections of the story felt drawn out, the characters were well-developed, charming, likable, and mysterious. I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

...21 more reader reviews

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