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A review by hydroxicacid
Night in Shanghai by Nicole Mones
4.0
Night in Shanghai is set during a fascinating time in Shanghai, and has an unusual main character - a black jazz musician from America. The supporting cast features real historical figures such as H.H. Kung and my favorite gangster, Du Yuesheng. Mones clearly did her research - the backdrop of the war is detailed, and I especially enjoyed the storyline about the Nationalists' plan to resettle European Jews in China.
I wanted more nuance in how this book addressed race. There were moments where black characters' thoughts and actions didn't quite ring true, such as getting used to being pulled around by a coolie so quickly and calling the Chinese "boy".
I felt that the romance between Song and Thomas was the least compelling part of the book - I cared much more about what was happening on the political side with Du, Kung, and Morioka.
I wanted more nuance in how this book addressed race. There were moments where black characters' thoughts and actions didn't quite ring true, such as getting used to being pulled around by a coolie so quickly and calling the Chinese "boy".
I felt that the romance between Song and Thomas was the least compelling part of the book - I cared much more about what was happening on the political side with Du, Kung, and Morioka.