FROM AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR NGHI VO COMES A DAZZLING NEW NOVEL WHERE IMMORTALITY IS JUST A CASTING CALL AWAY
It was magic. In every world, it was a kind of magic.
"No maids, no funny talking, no fainting flowers." Luli Wei is beautiful, talented, and desperate to be a star. Coming of age in pre-Code Hollywood, she knows how dangerous the movie business is and how limited the roles are for a Chinese American girl from Hungarian Hill―but she doesn't care. She’d rather play a monster than a maid.
But in Luli's world, the worst monsters in Hollywood are not the ones on screen. The studios want to own everything from her face to her name to the women she loves, and they run on a system of bargains made in blood and ancient magic, powered by the endless sacrifice of unlucky starlets like her. For those who do survive to earn their fame, success comes with a steep price. Luli is willing to do whatever it takes―even if that means becoming the monster herself.
Siren Queen offers up an enthralling exploration of an outsider achieving stardom on her own terms, in a fantastical Hollywood where the monsters are real and the magic of the silver screen illuminates every page.
I struggled with this one. I thought the writing was excellent and painted a disturbing picture of an alternate Hollywood. But for most of the book I was completely lost as to how the world worked. I would have loved more world building because, in the end, I just didn't get what was happening.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Over the last couple of months, I've heard nothing but good things about Siren Queen. Naturally, this meant that I just had to take some time to read it! It helps that I already adore Nghi Vo's writing, of course.
We all have dreams. For Luli Wei, her dream was to become a star, making her way to success on the silver screen. She doesn't care what it'll cost her or about the danger she's jumping headfirst into.
The problem is, Hollywood isn't content to only own her career – they want everything. Luli knew this was going in, but it is one thing to know something and quite another to experience its depth.
“I would never be adorable and bubbling over with praise for myself and others. Instead, I was still and cold, and had to hope that was enough.”
If you love Nghi Vo, you have to make time to read Siren Queen. It is everything I could have possibly hoped for and then some! Luli's character is complex and determined, giving her everything she needs to navigate a dark and dangerous career path.
I'll admit, adding the little bits of fantasy elements was an excellent choice. Being a huge fantasy lover, I wouldn't have said no more to this side. That being said, I did enjoy the balance Nghi Vo struck. There is something so magical about movie-making; as we all know, not all magic is good.
There are times when Siren Queen is truly harrowing or eerie. I think these moments hit very close to home, making them relatable and, therefore, horrifying. In other words, the characters feel so real at times that it almost feels like they're in the room with us.
I enjoyed Siren Queen and am actively looking forward to the next release from Nghi Vo (Into the Riverlands! The third novella in The Singing Hills Cycle series. I can't wait).
Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
