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Wicked Willow #1
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Wicked Willow I - The Darkening
"Willow, what have you done?" -- Buffy, "Villains" In the woods outside Sunnydale, Willow Rosenberg has exacted a terrible revenge for the murder of her lover Tara She has captured Warren, the murderous leader of the Trio, and flayed him alive. Her best friends, Buffy Summers and Xander Harris, arrived too late to stop her. But the death of Warren isn't enough for Willow. Now her friends can only watch as the juiced-up witch sets off on a trail of vengeance and magick-gathering to prepare the spell that will bring Tara back to life. And whoever gets in Willow's way is going to regret it...including one Slayer who is still hoping to save her best friend.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 4, 2004
8 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
About the author
Yvonne Navarro
127 books173 followersYvonne Navarro is the author of Concrete Savior, Highborn, AfterAge, deadrush, Final Impact, Mirror Me and a bunch of other books, plus Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels and tie-in novels for Hellboy, Elektra, and others."
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 22, 2020
The Wicked Willow trilogy is an alternate storyline from Buffy's sixth season in which Willow attempts to bring back Tara, her one true love who's been cruelly murdered. Naturally, the further she delves into dark sorcery the deeper into the dark side she slips, and the consequences for her and her friends intensifies. The books definitely need to be read in order, as it's more of a long novel split into three parts than a true trilogy. The second volume tends to sag a bit, but it's overall a compelling and well-paced story. Navarro does a good job of portraying the characters in a convincing manner, and takes the reader on a realistic return to Sunnydale. I can't think of any particulars I can mention that wouldn't be spoilerish, but I'll say that I enjoyed the trip.
June 21, 2017
5 stars
Sad that Willow went evil. Hope Buffy and the Scooby Gang will be able to bring her back. Also hope Giles will be able to walk again. Hoping for Spike and Oz's rescues.
Can't wait to read Wicked Willow 2!!!!
Sad that Willow went evil. Hope Buffy and the Scooby Gang will be able to bring her back. Also hope Giles will be able to walk again. Hoping for Spike and Oz's rescues.
Can't wait to read Wicked Willow 2!!!!
December 9, 2020
I feel like the big fatal flaw in this book is that Willow, even evil, just wouldn’t be doing half of this stuff. And she definitely wouldn’t just ignore Tara’s wishes.
Also, the author seems to be obsessed with “Asian-looking” people, as she describes them, and she’s white, so that’s a little odd to me, especially since she describes them this way 🙄
Also, the author seems to be obsessed with “Asian-looking” people, as she describes them, and she’s white, so that’s a little odd to me, especially since she describes them this way 🙄
August 2, 2011
I wanted to like this book. Really, I did. I’m a huge, huge, HUGE fan of all things Joss Whedon/Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the idea of an alternate universe where Evil Willow was never stopped intrigued me. That is, until it was revealed just where the book turned away from the show and entered its own world.
You see, I was hoping that it would start to diverge around the end of the season 6 conclusion. That Willow would be so far gone by the time the book began that we’d hardly recognize the familiar Sunnydale we were so used to seeing. Instead, it converged almost at the very beginning of the storyline, and I found this disappointing.
The problem of course, is that if Evil Willow from the TV show wasn’t stopped, there wouldn’t be much of a story, because she would have succeeded in ending the world and...well, that would be that. The world would be over. I understand that there’s no story in that. Yet I find it unfair that this book is apparently about “what would happen if Evil Willow was never stopped” because that’s not what it’s about. It’s about an alternate universe Willow with a slightly different plan than TV Willow.
As a Buffy story on its own, it only holds up somewhat decently. Navarro got the voice of most of the character down all right, save for Tara. I don’t know if becoming a ghost suddenly made her a very different person, but Ghost Tara and regular human Tara don’t seem to connect in anything other than name and appearance. Her ways of talking and general mannerisms just aren’t there, and I felt you could replace Tara with any other morally correct ghost and the story would be pretty much the same.
The story is a bit below standard, though I’ve come to expect that from novels based around television programs. It’s not terrible, but the threat Willow poses never feels serious enough to base a book around. Overall, it could have been worse, but it also could have been a lot better.
You see, I was hoping that it would start to diverge around the end of the season 6 conclusion. That Willow would be so far gone by the time the book began that we’d hardly recognize the familiar Sunnydale we were so used to seeing. Instead, it converged almost at the very beginning of the storyline, and I found this disappointing.
The problem of course, is that if Evil Willow from the TV show wasn’t stopped, there wouldn’t be much of a story, because she would have succeeded in ending the world and...well, that would be that. The world would be over. I understand that there’s no story in that. Yet I find it unfair that this book is apparently about “what would happen if Evil Willow was never stopped” because that’s not what it’s about. It’s about an alternate universe Willow with a slightly different plan than TV Willow.
As a Buffy story on its own, it only holds up somewhat decently. Navarro got the voice of most of the character down all right, save for Tara. I don’t know if becoming a ghost suddenly made her a very different person, but Ghost Tara and regular human Tara don’t seem to connect in anything other than name and appearance. Her ways of talking and general mannerisms just aren’t there, and I felt you could replace Tara with any other morally correct ghost and the story would be pretty much the same.
The story is a bit below standard, though I’ve come to expect that from novels based around television programs. It’s not terrible, but the threat Willow poses never feels serious enough to base a book around. Overall, it could have been worse, but it also could have been a lot better.
February 10, 2025
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Wicked Willow I - The Darkening" by Yvonne Navarro delivers an intriguing twist on the beloved characters from the show. Set during season six, the novel explores an alternate reality where Willow's grief over Tara’s death pushes her down a much darker path. This "what if" scenario was a fascinating take, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Willow as the full-fledged villain, unrestrained by her friends' attempts to bring her back from the brink.
Navarro does an excellent job maintaining the essence of the characters while also exploring how they would react to a Willow who never stopped being "Dark Willow." Her depiction of the Scoobies' struggle, especially Buffy and Xander's emotional turmoil, feels real, and it’s compelling to see how they grapple with the idea of saving someone they once called family.
While the book doesn't completely break new ground in terms of plot—since we've seen bits and pieces of this darker version of Willow on the show—it does offer a rich exploration of the consequences of Willow’s unchecked power. The addition of a more active, revenge-driven Willow keeps things exciting and tense, even if at times the pacing slows down.
For fans of the show, this book offers a fresh and emotional perspective on a character we’ve seen go through so much. While some elements, like Tara’s portrayal, could use more depth (her ghostly presence didn’t quite match her TV counterpart), overall, Navarro gives us a lot to chew on. The stakes feel high, and I can’t wait to see where this trilogy goes next. A must-read for fans of the series who love alternative storylines, even if it’s not perfect.
Navarro does an excellent job maintaining the essence of the characters while also exploring how they would react to a Willow who never stopped being "Dark Willow." Her depiction of the Scoobies' struggle, especially Buffy and Xander's emotional turmoil, feels real, and it’s compelling to see how they grapple with the idea of saving someone they once called family.
While the book doesn't completely break new ground in terms of plot—since we've seen bits and pieces of this darker version of Willow on the show—it does offer a rich exploration of the consequences of Willow’s unchecked power. The addition of a more active, revenge-driven Willow keeps things exciting and tense, even if at times the pacing slows down.
For fans of the show, this book offers a fresh and emotional perspective on a character we’ve seen go through so much. While some elements, like Tara’s portrayal, could use more depth (her ghostly presence didn’t quite match her TV counterpart), overall, Navarro gives us a lot to chew on. The stakes feel high, and I can’t wait to see where this trilogy goes next. A must-read for fans of the series who love alternative storylines, even if it’s not perfect.
June 1, 2016
This is based on the television series and takes place during season six. But be aware. This book doesn't exist in this actual universe as this novel is an alternate reality book. This asks the question what would happen if the Scooby gang succeeded in getting Jonathan and Andrew out of town and denied Willow her revenge.
I like alternate reality scenarios but I am weary if the characters still hold true. This was accomplished in this book. This book is really enjoyable and the portrayals are well done. I liked how the author fuses the actual events with the alternate reality events. This book was a nice peek into Willow if she remained "Dark Willow" and instead of grieving for her loss she is intent on revenge. It is also a nice peek at how the Scoobies deal with the big bad considering the big bad is a dear member of their group. I believe fans of the show will like the new take of a beloved character too.
I enjoy media tie-in novels and this one did not disappoint. I loved the "what if" scenario in this book and I believe fans of the show will also like this novel as we get to spend more time with beloved characters. I look forward to continuing this series.
I like alternate reality scenarios but I am weary if the characters still hold true. This was accomplished in this book. This book is really enjoyable and the portrayals are well done. I liked how the author fuses the actual events with the alternate reality events. This book was a nice peek into Willow if she remained "Dark Willow" and instead of grieving for her loss she is intent on revenge. It is also a nice peek at how the Scoobies deal with the big bad considering the big bad is a dear member of their group. I believe fans of the show will like the new take of a beloved character too.
I enjoy media tie-in novels and this one did not disappoint. I loved the "what if" scenario in this book and I believe fans of the show will also like this novel as we get to spend more time with beloved characters. I look forward to continuing this series.
April 2, 2018
I DNF'ed this book not quite halfway through.
I thought it was just so bad and even though we're talking Dark!Willow, I thought this way pushed out of character way too much from what we got to see in the show.
Basically, what if Xander hadn't been there with his yellow crayon remark and I love you's. Well, Willow would have ended the world as we know it and there wouldn't be much to talk about, would it?
Instead, she's "cooped up" someplace, trying to get tara back from the grave while being haunted by her ghost and she's holding Oz captive in a cage. The witches or wiccan are not happy with her and her plans and, of course, the scooby gang is against what she's doing while trying to help her.
Like I said, I couldn't stop reading. I couldn't get into it. The characterization and anything didn't ring true to what I thought could have been happening after Grave had Xander not been there.
What could have been an awesome trilogy, for me, fell completely flat. I even got rid of those books because I knew I wouldn't be able to give it a second chance. I really wanted to like this but it didn't keep me for the whole entire book, let alone the following two.
I thought it was just so bad and even though we're talking Dark!Willow, I thought this way pushed out of character way too much from what we got to see in the show.
Basically, what if Xander hadn't been there with his yellow crayon remark and I love you's. Well, Willow would have ended the world as we know it and there wouldn't be much to talk about, would it?
Instead, she's "cooped up" someplace, trying to get tara back from the grave while being haunted by her ghost and she's holding Oz captive in a cage. The witches or wiccan are not happy with her and her plans and, of course, the scooby gang is against what she's doing while trying to help her.
Like I said, I couldn't stop reading. I couldn't get into it. The characterization and anything didn't ring true to what I thought could have been happening after Grave had Xander not been there.
What could have been an awesome trilogy, for me, fell completely flat. I even got rid of those books because I knew I wouldn't be able to give it a second chance. I really wanted to like this but it didn't keep me for the whole entire book, let alone the following two.
March 8, 2018
2.5
I picked this up because I was curious about someone’s vision of what would have happened if Evil Willow was never stopped. Of course, according to the show the world would have ended, maybe that is where the 3rd Wicked Willow novel ends up, but I doubt it.
In the first instalment she sets about increasing her power, mostly in an effort to be able to resurrect Tara. She brings a whole lot of bad stuff down on her friends.
There are lots of faults with the writing, the most irritating of which is the author using a metaphor or simile and then explaining it or labouring the point in the next sentence. The second most annoying is the amount of repetition of descriptions.
I know it is written for teenagers but they deserve better and so do the legions of 30 and 40 something fans!! Luckily not many hours are invested in reading.
I picked this up because I was curious about someone’s vision of what would have happened if Evil Willow was never stopped. Of course, according to the show the world would have ended, maybe that is where the 3rd Wicked Willow novel ends up, but I doubt it.
In the first instalment she sets about increasing her power, mostly in an effort to be able to resurrect Tara. She brings a whole lot of bad stuff down on her friends.
There are lots of faults with the writing, the most irritating of which is the author using a metaphor or simile and then explaining it or labouring the point in the next sentence. The second most annoying is the amount of repetition of descriptions.
I know it is written for teenagers but they deserve better and so do the legions of 30 and 40 something fans!! Luckily not many hours are invested in reading.
December 30, 2025
Wow. At first, I was going to give this trilogy three stars, because I think the story could’ve gone deeper and still kept to the constraints of the Buffyverse plot; however, after reading about the author’s experience getting this trilogy out there and the challenges of dealing with her publisher and everyone in between, I’m going to go ahead and give this five stars.
Having to produce and edit a creative work under those conditions is ridiculous and then to take blame from an angry readership on top of that? Forget it.
Frankly, I’m angry for Navarro and I hope she found her way into better projects and more understanding readers after this. I just discovered this trilogy, and I’m glad to see there are people supporting her many years after its completion.
Navarro’s response to the poor reviews: https://www.yvonnenavarro.com/rant.htm
Having to produce and edit a creative work under those conditions is ridiculous and then to take blame from an angry readership on top of that? Forget it.
Frankly, I’m angry for Navarro and I hope she found her way into better projects and more understanding readers after this. I just discovered this trilogy, and I’m glad to see there are people supporting her many years after its completion.
Navarro’s response to the poor reviews: https://www.yvonnenavarro.com/rant.htm
December 29, 2018
Dark willow. Reading it, and watching it on the series? OMG SOO totally different. And the details. And the Willow-verbs. And then the Xander-verbs. And then the Buffy-verbs... I could keep going.
SOO COOL!!!!!
I wish I owned a physical copy. By alas... Books from the library will do from time to time? No? Well of course they will do if i can’t find some of the books I want all the time!!! -cackles-
SOO COOL!!!!!
I wish I owned a physical copy. By alas... Books from the library will do from time to time? No? Well of course they will do if i can’t find some of the books I want all the time!!! -cackles-
October 10, 2017
i like this the different version of events of evil willow if her path and time as evil went longer. I did like how we got into all the lead characters heads and really see how the lack of willow would effect them. I also like the role of tara in the book and am curious to see where the book series goes next!
February 13, 2019
Anyone who is a fan of Buffy. This is a must read! Off to part 2 :)
September 9, 2019
3.75 stars. Very good, looking forward to reading part two.
March 19, 2022
3.5 stars
February 3, 2016
This is sort of an alternate-reality story in which Willow really embraces her dark side after killing Warren. It's an interesting story, especially in the way in which Willow sets out to gain even more power than she already has in order to bring Tara back from the dead.
It's also a relatively dark story in which Willow's former friends become her targets, leading to one showdown in which Giles is left partially paralyzed. Willow's conversations with the ghost of Tara are quite important; on the other hand, at least in this first novel, Dawn is a throw-away character, contributing almost nothing to the story.
The first book has potential. It's a good story, but whether it turns out to be a really good addition to the Buffy novels will depend on the events in the last two books in the series.
It's also a relatively dark story in which Willow's former friends become her targets, leading to one showdown in which Giles is left partially paralyzed. Willow's conversations with the ghost of Tara are quite important; on the other hand, at least in this first novel, Dawn is a throw-away character, contributing almost nothing to the story.
The first book has potential. It's a good story, but whether it turns out to be a really good addition to the Buffy novels will depend on the events in the last two books in the series.
July 3, 2016
I really wanted to like this book but it didn't work out that way! This was book one in a trilogy giving an alternate ending to the Season 6 finale where Willow turns evil. The premise was good but the book was badly executed. The characters were done well and I could here and see them but the story just didn't grab me and I didn't like how it was playing out. I won't be finishing the set which is annoying because up till now I have read all of the Buffy books but I just don't want to finish it. 2 stars and that's generous!
August 18, 2014
I always have time to read a Buffy book. Most of them are middle of the road (3 stars), but this novel is a beauty! This is part one of a trilogy centering on Willow. The plot of the trilogy is that Willow, after her lover's death, remains forever wicked. I loved this book so much that I made a quick trip to the library to pick up parts two and three. I can see why Ms. Navarro is a winner of the Bram Stoker award. She has captured all the characters from the Buffy series, and used them in a fantastic alterative universe. Three cheers and five stars for tbis great read!
November 15, 2016
While I am not one for "what if" scenarios, but this one is very interesting. Book one picks up towards the end of Season 6 when Dark Willow is reigning supreme, but instead of it coming to an end, its drawn out. What if Dark Willow continued to grow in power and become more evil. Highly recommend to Buffy fans. I look forward to see where the series goes.
August 2, 2016
I always like a good alternate-reality story, but this one just didn't do it for me. It was not written that well - it seemed hurried and rushed in some points,and dragged on in others. And in the end, very little actually happened over the course of the book.
August 11, 2010
a twist on Season 6 - what if Willow wasn't stopped. I usually have trouble with TV crossover books, but for the most part Yvonne stays true to the characters and mythology of Buffy. Can't wait to start book 2
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August 23, 2008isbn,original
November 13, 2009
I love alternate story lines!!!
July 5, 2010
A good alternate version of the end of series 6 of Buffy, looking forward to the rest of the trilogy now!
August 9, 2015
Not generally a fan of AU, but I find this one intriguing. And finished... Ready to dive into the second book. Poor Willow, poor Buffy, poor everyone. Wow. That happened.
February 25, 2019
Great start
August 10, 2018
Dark Willow as good as in the show!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews