July 1, 2022
Her code name: Fortune. Her purpose: atonement. Four years ago, in 1927, Rosalind Lang betrayed her gang. Her actions nearly led to Shanghai's destruction. When scarlet fever swept through the city soon after, Rosalind was saved by a mysterious serum that left her with a nearly indestructible body trapped at age 19. Now, as penance, she hunts rogue White Flowers for the Nationalists who are embroiled in a civil war with the Communists and face a potential invasion by the Imperial Japanese Army. When the Nationalists connect a string of murders in Shanghai to a local newspaper published by the Japanese government-funded Seagreen Press, Rosalind is given a new mission and a partner: Orion Hong, the younger son of a Nationalist general. Posing as newlyweds, they infiltrate Seagreen and discover a web of false identities, undercover agents, and national traitors. Heart-pounding action and intrigue fill the pages of this thriller, set in a time when people's allegiances are questioned at every turn and families are divided along stark political lines; Orion's brother and Rosalind's trans sister both serve the Communist cause. Friction between the grimly determined Rosalind and carefree Orion shifts into mutual understanding and then something more as demisexual Rosalind allows herself to see past Orion's facade. An enjoyable cast of supporting characters adds levity and surprising twists. This series opener set in the world of Gong's These Violent Delights duology is accessible to new readers. Thrilling from start to finish. (Historical fantasy. 13-18)
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Starred review from July 18, 2022
A disgraced, immortal assassin reluctantly partners with a high-profile playboy while investigating a slew of brutal murders in Gong’s (Our Violent Ends) enticing duology opener, a take on William Shakespeare’s As You Like It set in 1931 Shanghai. After betraying her family and nearly succumbing to fever, 19-year-old Rosalind Lang was administered a mysterious serum that granted her healing abilities and stopped her from aging. Now, four years later, she is employed by nationalists under the code name Fortune to hunt reprobate Communist White Flowers. When a series of murders causes unrest in Shanghai, and members of the invading Japanese empire come under suspicion, Rosalind’s new orders involve posing as a married couple with nationalist spy Orion Hong and, together, infiltrating a local Japanese paper to uncover the perpetrator. Cavalier and flippant as he may seem, Orion hides dark secrets of his own that could endanger their mission and even Rosalind’s immortal life. While the duo’s repartee is sizzling on its own, their relationships with secondary characters—including Rosalind’s transgender sister Celia and Orion’s brother Oliver, both Communist Party members—add tension that further complicates Gong’s pulse-pounding caper. An author’s note provides historical context. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laura Crockett, Triada US.
November 1, 2022
Gr 9 Up-In 1931, Shanghai is divided among the Nationalists, the Communists, and scheming Japanese Imperialists, while Rosalind Lang, the now ostensibly immortal former burlesque dancer and member of Shanghai's fallen gangster elite, has become a sleepless assassin for the Nationalists. Once suspicious killings begin sweeping Shanghai, Rosalind is given a new assignment-one where her cover relies on a false marriage to flirtatious playboy Orion, who is really seeking to restore face to his family after his father was accused of treason. Meanwhile, Rosalind's twin sister and Orion's older brother are staunch Communists on their own mission in the countryside. In and out of Shanghai secrets abound, but despite each character's relationships being fundamentally based on deception, there are no overdone miscommunication tropes to be found. The blend of fantasy, historical fiction, and espionage creates a fast-paced story with wide reader appeal, and although it is helpful to have first read Gong's debut duology, it is not necessary. Reluctant readers may find the romanized, untranslated inclusion of phrases in Shanghainese and Russian frustrating, but their placement augments the strong anti-imperialist themes within the text. Most characters are East Asian; Celia is a transgender woman, Rosalind is portrayed as demisexual, and Orion and his sister are bisexual. VERDICT A first purchase for any public or high school library.-Austin Ferraro
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Starred review from October 15, 2022
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Set in 1931 in the same world as Gong's These Violent Delights duology, this thrilling series opener pairs supernaturally enhanced assassin Rosalind Lang and Nationalist spy Orion Hong on a mission to stop the grisly murders causing unrest in Shanghai, which is already roiling with Nationalists and Communists engaged in civil war and a looming Japanese invasion. When the Nationalists connect the murders to Japanese-owned Seagreen Press, publisher of imperialist propaganda, Rosalind and Orion pose as newlyweds with domestic-assistant jobs to infiltrate the press. Working together doesn't come easy for serious, suspicious Rosalind, whose identity as the assassin Fortune she must keep secret from Orion. Orion, the son of a Nationalist general accused of treason, is fascinated by his enigmatic partner, but he too has secrets beneath his playful demeanor. Gong excels at creating a tense, paranoid atmosphere filled with false identities, uneasy alliances, and surprise betrayals. Both Rosalind and Orion are seeking redemption, and their hard-won trust and tentative romance is as compelling as the action-packed political intrigue. A large cast of characters adds dimension to the story, and additionally fuels some late-stage twists that will leave readers desperate for the next book.
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