In near-future Shanghai, a group of teens have their world turned upside down when one of their own is kidnapped in this action-packed follow-up to the "positively chilling" (The New York Times) sci-fi thriller Want.
Jason Zhou, his friends, and Daiyu are still recovering from the aftermath of bombing Jin Corp headquarters. But Jin, ruthless billionaire and Daiyu's father, is out for blood. When Lingyi goes to Shanghai to help Jany Tsai, a childhood acquaintance in trouble, she doesn't expect Jin to be involved. And when Jin has Jany murdered and steals the tech she had refused to sell him, Lingyi is the only one who has access to the encrypted info, putting her own life in jeopardy.
Zhou doesn't hesitate to fly to China to help Iris find Lingyi, even though he's been estranged from his friends for months. But when Iris tells him he can't tell Daiyu or trust her, he balks. The reunited group play a treacherous cat and mouse game in the labyrinthine streets of Shanghai, determined on taking back what Jin had stolen.
When Daiyu appears in Shanghai, Zhou is uncertain if it's to confront him or in support of her father. Jin has proudly announced Daiyu will be by his side for the opening ceremony of Jin Tower, his first "vertical city." And as hard as Zhou and his friends fight, Jin always gains the upper hand. Is this a game they can survive, much less win?
Well, I devoured this in just over three hours. As a story on its own, I enjoyed Ruse more than Want; however, the duology as a whole left some questions unanswered from the first book.
"Clean air is a luxury."
Ruse is fast-paced and full of action. If you enjoyed the heist elements of Want, you won't be disappointed! I like how it tackles issues of privacy a bit as well as corporate espionage in addition to the social and political themes explored in the prior book.
"Our strength is in each other."
I loved having multiple perspectives in this book, although it was a little jarring to having Zhou's in first person and the others in third person. I found myself more connected with Lingyi's perspective and I think the disconnect I felt with Want is a result of my not completely vibing with Zhou's perspective. Which was nice to finally put my finger on! Lingyi and Iris are my absolute favorites and I'm very thankful that the characters are all dealing with the events of Want in their own way.
"If not us, then who."
Ultimately, I loved Ruse but it doesn't quite feel like a direct sequel if that makes sense? There are a few threads from the first book that just didn't go anywhere and that did hamper my overall enjoyment a bit, but this is a critically important duology that I recommend!
Representation: Asian representation, f/f relationship, PTSD representation Content warnings: depictions of grief, loss, murder, violence
