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A review by rorikae
Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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
4.5
'Siren Queen' by Nghi Vo is an evocative and beautifully crafted novel about a Chinese American girl who infiltrates the murky studios of Hollywood in the early 1930s to become a film star.
Luli Wang grows up above the laundry her family runs in Hungarian Hill. When she discovers her local movie theater and sees her first silent film, she falls in love with the movies. When offered the chance to be an extra in a movie shooting in her neighborhood, she jumps at the opportunity. This sets her on the path to becoming a film star herself, navigating the haunting backlots of the Hollywood studios, her own sexuality, and the racism that permeates society.
Vo pairs her lyrical prose with a paranormal take on early Hollywood to create a haunting tale about the film industry, stardom, and racism. Luli Wang is the perfect main character between her confidence, willingness to disrupt systems, and determination to be a star without playing servants or femme fatales like her predecessors.
One of the greatest aspects of this novel is the atmosphere. I felt almost as if I was in a dream between Vo's prose, the shifting paranormal world of demons and deals that is the backlot of the studios, and the way Vo amplifies history through speculative elements. I was never quite sure what was happening but that was intentional as Luli is dealing with the same issues. She stands so clearly amongst this shifting world that it further solidifies her character.
I also loved the overall themes in this story including the importance of monstrosity, living as a queer person amongst a world that tries to suppress you, and the racism and misogyny of Hollywood.
If you enjoyed 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' but would like to see what it would be like with more monsters and speculative elements, you need to pick up 'Siren Queen.' I think it's Vo's greatest work yet and I can't wait to see where she goes next.
Luli Wang grows up above the laundry her family runs in Hungarian Hill. When she discovers her local movie theater and sees her first silent film, she falls in love with the movies. When offered the chance to be an extra in a movie shooting in her neighborhood, she jumps at the opportunity. This sets her on the path to becoming a film star herself, navigating the haunting backlots of the Hollywood studios, her own sexuality, and the racism that permeates society.
Vo pairs her lyrical prose with a paranormal take on early Hollywood to create a haunting tale about the film industry, stardom, and racism. Luli Wang is the perfect main character between her confidence, willingness to disrupt systems, and determination to be a star without playing servants or femme fatales like her predecessors.
One of the greatest aspects of this novel is the atmosphere. I felt almost as if I was in a dream between Vo's prose, the shifting paranormal world of demons and deals that is the backlot of the studios, and the way Vo amplifies history through speculative elements. I was never quite sure what was happening but that was intentional as Luli is dealing with the same issues. She stands so clearly amongst this shifting world that it further solidifies her character.
I also loved the overall themes in this story including the importance of monstrosity, living as a queer person amongst a world that tries to suppress you, and the racism and misogyny of Hollywood.
If you enjoyed 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' but would like to see what it would be like with more monsters and speculative elements, you need to pick up 'Siren Queen.' I think it's Vo's greatest work yet and I can't wait to see where she goes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, and Xenophobia