When They Burned The Butterfly, 9781035429929
Hardcover
Sapphic gangs, burning secrets, and a daughter’s fiery quest.
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When They Burned The Butterfly

a glamorous sapphic historical fantasy set in postcolonial singapore

$64.17

  • Hardcover

    480 pages

  • Release Date

    2 February 2026

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Summary

When They Burned the Butterfly: A Sapphic Singaporean Fantasy

‘A dark riot of a novel’ NGHI VO

‘An explosive conclusion that will leave readers breathless’ ZEN CHO

‘Unabashedly vibrant and original’ SUNYI DEAN

‘A definitive must-read’ AMY LEOW

A fierce, glamorous sapphic fantasy reimagining the secret societies of postcolonial Singapore, for fans of Jade City, Silvia Moreno-G…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781035429929
ISBN-10:1035429926
Author:Wen-yi Lee
Publisher:Headline Publishing Group
Imprint:Wildfire
Format:Hardcover
Number of Pages:480
Release Date:2 February 2026
Weight:0g
Dimensions:240mm x 156mm
What They're Saying

Critics Review

When They Burned the Butterfly will take the breath out of your chest and replace it with fire. Wen-yi Lee has written a dark riot of a novel replete with jealous gods, human cruelty and incandescent desire. * Nghi Vo, bestselling author of THE EMPRESS OF SALT AND FORTUNE *In When They Burned the Butterfly, fierce girls wrestle with mysterious gods in the early days of a new nation. This stylish, gritty sapphic fantasy weaves a slow-burn romance that smolders with tension, building to an explosive conclusion that will leave readers breathless. * Zen Cho, award-winning author of SORCERER TO THE CROWN *Led by a complex yet compelling heroine, and set amidst the glitz and grit of 1970s Singapore, Lee’s sweeping tale is unabashedly vibrant and original * Sunyi Dean, bestselling author of THE BOOK EATERS *Lee weaves a dazzling tale of post-colonial identities, dangerous magic, and women ferociously carving their place in a world that rejects them. Burning with equal amounts of fury and tender, contemplative moments, this is a definitive must-read for years to come. * Amy Leow, author of THE SCARLET THRONE *

About The Author

Wen-yi Lee

Wen-yi Lee is the author of YA horror The Dark We Know and forthcoming adult historical fantasy When They Burned the Butterfly. Her writing has appeared in venues like Lightspeed, Uncanny, Reactor, and Strange Horizons, as well as various anthologies. She is based in Singapore and is a graduate of University College London, and likes writing about girls with bite, feral nature, and ghosts.

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