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A review by kat__z8
Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
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: Gun violence, Violence, and Colonisation