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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
fast-paced
Excellent writing. Set in the golden age of Hollywood, there magical realism where the studio heads ride the wild hunt and demand dark sacrifices to leave. Felt that the ending was a little vague and anticlimactic.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Siren Queen is a fairytale coming of age story recounting the life of a young Luli Wei, a lesbian, Chinese-American actress navigating a fantastical rendering of the golden age of Hollywood. Metaphor and reality blended together so seamlessly, I often found myself rereading the last paragraph or flipping to the previous page. This novel utilizes fantasy as an allegory for the complex emotions and experiences of a queer, minority woman struggling for purpose, visibility and connection in an industry not built for people like her. Siren Queen seems to ask, what makes a monster?
“What's so great about being seen?" Tara demanded. "What's so important about that?"
She might have had the words for it, but I didn't. They locked up in my throat, about being invisible, about being alien and foreign and strange even in the place where I was born, and about the immortality that wove through my parents' lives but ultimately would fail them. Their immortality belonged to other people, and I hated that.
“What's so great about being seen?" Tara demanded. "What's so important about that?"
She might have had the words for it, but I didn't. They locked up in my throat, about being invisible, about being alien and foreign and strange even in the place where I was born, and about the immortality that wove through my parents' lives but ultimately would fail them. Their immortality belonged to other people, and I hated that.
I wanted to like this a little bit more than I did. I think this is one that will stick with me, despite what didn’t end up working as well for me, and it might be one that I revisit and change my mind on, later on. Because I’ve got a physical copy of this one, and I know I’m going to be thinking abt this world for a while.
I WANTED to love this one sooooo badly, and in the end, I loved the potential of it and not entirely the execution. Here’s the thing, old Hollywood, magical realism, queer ladies, and monsters are all like VERY MUCH MY EXACT FAVORITE TYPE OF THING but I am also, at heart, a character reader, and (for me) the characters in this one all fell a bit flat. Luli, being the protagonist, helped, and I had a more real picture of her than the rest of them, and it wasn’t BAD by any means. I honestly think if it had been a little longer, particularly near the end, it would have felt a bit more realized for me. It felt like right as it was finally really picking up steam, and Luli was about to hit the stars, it cut to a quick and speedy epilogue that zipped through stuff that I really wanted to see!!! (Jane! We don’t know her like at all! With all those little cutaways I really wanted to meet her properly). I think that’s honestly the biggest downside for me, I just wanted more. I was invested and interested and it left me wanting, a little.
But also, that fucking cover, tho
I WANTED to love this one sooooo badly, and in the end, I loved the potential of it and not entirely the execution. Here’s the thing, old Hollywood, magical realism, queer ladies, and monsters are all like VERY MUCH MY EXACT FAVORITE TYPE OF THING but I am also, at heart, a character reader, and (for me) the characters in this one all fell a bit flat. Luli, being the protagonist, helped, and I had a more real picture of her than the rest of them, and it wasn’t BAD by any means. I honestly think if it had been a little longer, particularly near the end, it would have felt a bit more realized for me. It felt like right as it was finally really picking up steam, and Luli was about to hit the stars, it cut to a quick and speedy epilogue that zipped through stuff that I really wanted to see!!! (Jane! We don’t know her like at all! With all those little cutaways I really wanted to meet her properly). I think that’s honestly the biggest downside for me, I just wanted more. I was invested and interested and it left me wanting, a little.
But also, that fucking cover, tho
I think I could have really enjoyed this book if I had stopped trying to make sense of everything that was happening. this book distorts reality and mixes elements of fantasy with real life, and I lost some of the enjoyment by trying to place things into either category. apparently I'm the kind of reader that needs everything explained to me or else I'll be lost the entire book. it definitely had good moments and good qualities, I think I'll try to reread this sometime without thinking in black & white
This was a beautifully dark story with a gripping main character. I found myself simultaneously afraid and intrigued by where it was going, and the story was quick and thrilling. Though I found it to be more atmospheric than plot driven, I enjoyed it very much. I recommend to those who like Evelyn Hugo and other tales of Hollywood stars.