Vivid, enlightening, and adventurous

This novel was captivating, and I am really looking forward to the next installment. My cousin came over from England last summer and brought me an advanced hardcover copy of this book since she is a good friend of the author, A Y Chao. I like to multitask, so later on I got the audiobook and listened instead.

The reader did an excellent job switching between different voices of the characters, as well as pronouncing Chinese words and names that would have baffled me in print. I don't know very much about Chinese mythology or customs and such, and I have never been to Shanghai, but I really enjoyed how Chao incorporated elements of legend and theology into this novel in a very vivid and well-described (but not long-winded) setting. She paints a clear visual of the realms the characters move within.

At first I was a little bit annoyed by some of the vulgarity and anger management issues of the main character, Lady Jing, but I soon came to realize that her language encapsulated her immaturity and overall rashness, and appreciated that it made a lot of sense from that angle. Throughout the story, Lady Jing is consistently developing personally as she learns about herself and other people in the world around her. She becomes much more self-aware and starts to make better connections with the events and people in her life, which was satisfying to read. Chao also did a great job of writing her PTSD reactions and how she comes to discover her past and gain strength from her recollection.

Overall I thought this story was great, and would certainly recommend it to anyone who is interested in Chinese culture, fantasy adventure, character development, and has a general inclination for imaginative page turners.

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