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The Last Rose of Shanghai

A Novel

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The Last Rose of Shanghai

Written by: Weina Dai Randel
Narrated by: Josh Bloomberg, Emily Woo Zeller
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About this listen

In Japanese-occupied Shanghai, two people from different cultures are drawn together by fate and the freedom of music...

1940. Aiyi Shao is a young heiress and the owner of a formerly popular and glamorous Shanghai nightclub. Ernest Reismann is a penniless Jewish refugee driven out of Germany, an outsider searching for shelter in a city wary of strangers. He loses nearly all hope until he crosses paths with Aiyi. When she hires Ernest to play piano at her club, her defiance of custom causes a sensation. His instant fame makes Aiyi’s club once again the hottest spot in Shanghai. Soon they realize they share more than a passion for jazz - but their differences seem insurmountable, and Aiyi is engaged to another man.

As the war escalates, Aiyi and Ernest find themselves torn apart, and their choices between love and survival grow more desperate. In the face of overwhelming odds, a chain of events is set in motion that will change both their lives forever.

From the electrifying jazz clubs to the impoverished streets of a city under siege, The Last Rose of Shanghai is a timeless, sweeping story of love and redemption.

©2021 Weina Dai Randel. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
20th Century Fiction World Literature City
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What the critics say

“[Emily Woo] Zeller delivers the chapters told from the perspective of Aiyi, whose privileged upbringing, beauty, and good business sense are not enough to protect her from the hardships of war. [Josh] Bloomberg performs the chapters focused on Ernest, a German-Jewish refugee who arrives in the city looking for a safe haven. Zeller's comfort with Asian languages and accents and Bloomberg's with European ones underscore Aiyi's and Ernest's divergent spheres. Together the narrators build on the couple's conflicted emotions as their relationship grows from being business associates to much more.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“Fans of sweeping, dramatic WWII epics that are rich in historical detail, such as Lisa See’s Shanghai Girls or Paullina Simons’s The Bronze Horseman will be enthralled.” (Booklist)

“Weina Dai Randel’s novel deserves a place of distinction among WWII fiction.” (Historical Novel Society)

What listeners say about The Last Rose of Shanghai

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Loved the story!

This is my kind of book…. Finished it in a few days! Loved the ending.

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amazing

I found this book to be absolutely amazing the story was so good and the ending was also quite a twist absolutely enjoyed the book too bad you couldn't turn it into a movie

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Very gripping story from the start to finish!

Absolutely loved it. I highly recommend this book. It is unpredictable up until the very end.

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4 people found this helpful

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awesome story !

one of the best audible books I've listened to , it was well narrated and very enjoyable story ! I recommend this book to everyone .

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Ok but drags

It’s an ok story but really drags in places. I found it difficult to stay engaged with the characters and story line. Just didn’t ‘grab’ you.

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Filling gaps in history

My knowledge of the relationships of Japan, China & the US during the 1940’s was scant. As a Canadian educator I established an office in Japan in the 1980’s & did some work in Hong Kong & China. This story provided the background of history that became very meaningful for me.

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Historical fiction at its best.

Enjoyed the story immensely and learned a lot of unsettling history about Shanghai during world war 2.

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Beautifully narrated story

This was a remarkable story that I couldn't stop listening to. The dual narration was exquisite, bringing the story to life.

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