Book: Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewer: Angelina C.
Rosalind
Lang is an immortal assassin from 1930s Shanghai, working to erase her mistakes
by helping her country. In order to do so, she must go undercover to uncover
the secrets behind the recent murders in Shanghai, and the only way to
accomplish that is by working with another spy and posing as a married couple
with him. But the mystery runs deeper than they know, and so do the secrets
they keep from one another.
Compared
to Chloe Gong’s previous books, I found this book lacking. The pacing was a
little too slow for my liking and several plot points were somewhat predictable
(which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) and eerily similar to what Marvel’s Bucky
Barnes goes through. Despite this, I had to know the answers to the mysteries
that arose over the course of the book. Also, I thought the setting and
characters were intriguing as always and can’t wait to see more of them in the
sequel. I love how the author makes sure that the supporting characters are
just as interesting and fun, if not more fun, than the main characters, and
that they actually contribute to the plot. One thing that I found particularly
annoying about this book is the occasional switch from third person past tense
limited to third person present tense omniscient. I am aware that this is part
of her writing style, but I find it jarring as it takes me out of the book,
even if it does ultimately reveal necessary information. As for the romance
aspect of this book, it was fun and I was definitely rooting for them, though
several aspects and moments fit snuggly into certain tropes, making it a little
less original. Overall, this book may have its flaws, but it was a fun read and
I will definitely be reading the sequel. This book will appeal to fans of
mystery and spies with a supernatural twist and those who can’t get enough of
the enemies to lovers trope.
