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kat__z8's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
MY GOODNESS. THIS BOOK.
I started off Foul Lady Fortune not expecting much because of my detachment from Rosalind in the previous duology, although I do admit I was curious when Chloe Gong said that this book features demisexual (Rosalind) and bisexual (Orion) MCs, aroace (Alisa) and bisexual (Phoebe) side characters. And of course, we have our iconic queen Celia Lang.
I have to say that although Roma-Juliette was amusing and fun to read, Rosalind-Orion kind of fell flat in comparison, which was why I struggled a bit with the first half of this book. I liked the side characters more. While Rosalind and Orion as individuals sort of rather dragged the plot a bit, the side characters kept me entertained until the end. I have this inexplicable pride watching Alisa all grown up and navigating the world with such confidence and self-assurance, and for Celia to find a place and people she felt she belonged. It was also fun to see Phoebe and Orion's sibling dynamic.
As before, I loved Chloe's descriptions of Shanghai, and also how she described some of the feelings. However, the writing in FLF lacked the emotional grip that was present especially in Our Violent Ends. I'm willing to overlook it as the writing flowed quite smoothly and it was relatively easy to get invested with the story and plot. The last half of this book was especially fun, with many events and twists unfolding. I see a similar pattern of the characters arc and a major cliffhanger in the end to set up the stage for the second book that's also similar to TVD, and if the sequel of FLF is as good as OVE, I'm sure I'll love it and I have faith that Chloe Gong wouldn't disappoint.
I started off Foul Lady Fortune not expecting much because of my detachment from Rosalind in the previous duology, although I do admit I was curious when Chloe Gong said that this book features demisexual (Rosalind) and bisexual (Orion) MCs, aroace (Alisa) and bisexual (Phoebe) side characters. And of course, we have our iconic queen Celia Lang.
I have to say that although Roma-Juliette was amusing and fun to read, Rosalind-Orion kind of fell flat in comparison, which was why I struggled a bit with the first half of this book. I liked the side characters more. While Rosalind and Orion as individuals sort of rather dragged the plot a bit, the side characters kept me entertained until the end. I have this inexplicable pride watching Alisa all grown up and navigating the world with such confidence and self-assurance, and for Celia to find a place and people she felt she belonged. It was also fun to see Phoebe and Orion's sibling dynamic.
As before, I loved Chloe's descriptions of Shanghai, and also how she described some of the feelings. However, the writing in FLF lacked the emotional grip that was present especially in Our Violent Ends. I'm willing to overlook it as the writing flowed quite smoothly and it was relatively easy to get invested with the story and plot. The last half of this book was especially fun, with many events and twists unfolding. I see a similar pattern of the characters arc and a major cliffhanger in the end to set up the stage for the second book that's also similar to TVD, and if the sequel of FLF is as good as OVE, I'm sure I'll love it and I have faith that Chloe Gong wouldn't disappoint.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Violence, and Gun violence
sunlit_music's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
You should love and read this book if you love:
- brave and flawed characters
- complex characters and complex relationships
- a touching and beautifully written love story
- a heartbreaking 'to be continued' ending (this book will have a sequel)
- detailed, well researched historical fiction
- creative, original speculative fiction
- fast paced, breathless and blood pounding action
- references to Shakespeare
- a thoughtful look at colonisation and fighting colonialism
In short: GO GET THIS BOOK!! :)
- brave and flawed characters
- complex characters and complex relationships
- a touching and beautifully written love story
- a heartbreaking 'to be continued' ending (this book will have a sequel)
- detailed, well researched historical fiction
- creative, original speculative fiction
- fast paced, breathless and blood pounding action
- references to Shakespeare
- a thoughtful look at colonisation and fighting colonialism
In short: GO GET THIS BOOK!! :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Death, Grief, Medical trauma, Colonisation, and Gun violence
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism and Colonisation
dhwani's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Chloe Gong does it again!! After completing the These Violent Delights duology, I had been quite excited to read Foul Lady Fortune. I had very different expectations about the main character when the novel was originally mentioned, thus Rosalind Lang being the main character completely caught me off guard. I wasn't sure at the time if I would enjoy the novel, but after reading this one tumblr post about Rosalind's character, my excitement for it returned.
Rosalind Lang, or Fortune, is a poison-using assassin who also possesses a particular talent. She is one of the most lethal assassins the Nationalists have because her cells never die and always return to their original state. She also never sleeps, doesn't age, and recovers from injuries quickly. She is immortal.
Rosalind is tasked with identifying the perpetrators of these attacks after a series of sudden deaths in Shanghai follow a recognisable pattern. The Japanese imperialists are the primary suspects. However, she is required to assume the identity of the wife of Orion Hong, a Nationalist agent who at first seems to not take anything seriously, cracks jokes constantly, and repeatedly tries to woo Rosalind, which irritates her to no end.
Rosalind doesn't particularly like Orion at first, but as she moves forward, she starts learning a lot about the assignment she is given. The Communists Oliver Hong and Celia Lang are living their own stories while on their respective missions outside the city, until they come upon the same location that is linked to all of these killings.
The romance and the plot of TVD were the main reasons I fell in love with it, and I had high expectations for this novel as well. Needless to say, it didn’t disappoint me in the least. The dialogues, the romance, and the narrative were all excellent.
The plot twists in this novel are numerous, unexpected, and I had never seen any of them coming. They caught me off guard and significantly improved my reading experience. Chloe Gong has a talent for writing people in such a detailed and endearing way that you can't help but fall in love with them. Every single character in the novel was wonderful to me. The side characters contributed so much to the story and were so well-written. The epilogue, the damn epilogue, and the narrative were both AMAZING. I was LEFT SPEECHLESS by it! The book has just the right amounts of romance, mystery, and sweetness! Because of how fluid Chloe Gong's language is, I never felt dissociated while reading. I need the sequel ASAP pleaseeeee
ALSO OLIVER HONG IS MY HUSBAND IMAGINE GETTING CALLED "MY SWEETHEART" ALL THE TIME
the queer rep>>>>>>>>>
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH AND I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL AS WELL AS THE OTHER BOOKS THAT THE QUEEN CHLOE GONG WILL RELEASE!! Also remember to read the These Violent Delights Duology before you read this series since it has spoilers from that book!!
Rosalind Lang, or Fortune, is a poison-using assassin who also possesses a particular talent. She is one of the most lethal assassins the Nationalists have because her cells never die and always return to their original state. She also never sleeps, doesn't age, and recovers from injuries quickly. She is immortal.
Rosalind is tasked with identifying the perpetrators of these attacks after a series of sudden deaths in Shanghai follow a recognisable pattern. The Japanese imperialists are the primary suspects. However, she is required to assume the identity of the wife of Orion Hong, a Nationalist agent who at first seems to not take anything seriously, cracks jokes constantly, and repeatedly tries to woo Rosalind, which irritates her to no end.
Rosalind doesn't particularly like Orion at first, but as she moves forward, she starts learning a lot about the assignment she is given. The Communists Oliver Hong and Celia Lang are living their own stories while on their respective missions outside the city, until they come upon the same location that is linked to all of these killings.
The romance and the plot of TVD were the main reasons I fell in love with it, and I had high expectations for this novel as well. Needless to say, it didn’t disappoint me in the least. The dialogues, the romance, and the narrative were all excellent.
The plot twists in this novel are numerous, unexpected, and I had never seen any of them coming. They caught me off guard and significantly improved my reading experience. Chloe Gong has a talent for writing people in such a detailed and endearing way that you can't help but fall in love with them. Every single character in the novel was wonderful to me. The side characters contributed so much to the story and were so well-written. The epilogue, the damn epilogue, and the narrative were both AMAZING. I was LEFT SPEECHLESS by it! The book has just the right amounts of romance, mystery, and sweetness! Because of how fluid Chloe Gong's language is, I never felt dissociated while reading. I need the sequel ASAP pleaseeeee
ALSO OLIVER HONG IS MY HUSBAND IMAGINE GETTING CALLED "MY SWEETHEART" ALL THE TIME
the queer rep>>>>>>>>>
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH AND I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL AS WELL AS THE OTHER BOOKS THAT THE QUEEN CHLOE GONG WILL RELEASE!! Also remember to read the These Violent Delights Duology before you read this series since it has spoilers from that book!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and War
Moderate: Medical content and Violence
Minor: Transphobia
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