Title: Foul Lady Fortune (Foul Lady Fortune #1)
Author: Chloe Gong
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: September 27, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The first book in a captivating new duology following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.
It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.
Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption from her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.
Code name: Fortune.
But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.
To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.
Review:
Shanghai, 1931: Four years ago Rosalind Lang was brought back from the dead, with a drug that stops her from aging, sleeping, and allows her to heal quickly from any wound. She uses her new abilities to work as an assassin for the Nationalists under the code name Fortune. However, when there are a series of strange murders throughout the city, Rosalind’s mission changes. She must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong. Rosalind doesn’t trust him with her true identity, but she’s willing to work with him for the mission. As they investigate the murders, they discover they both have secrets that are connected to the bigger conspiracy happening in the city.
This book was an exciting beginning to this duology set in the world of These Violent Delights. I loved seeing the characters again. Rosalind and her sister Celia were intriguing in These Violent Delights but they weren’t the main characters, so I’m glad they get a larger role in this series. At the beginning, it was a little confusing to figure out who was on which side of the Nationalists and Communists, especially since there were many double agents with multiple identities. However, there were so many twists near the end of the story that I didn’t want it to end! I’m so excited to read the next book!
Foul Lady Fortune is another great story by Chloe Gong!
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book!
Content warnings: death, stabbing, gun violence, death of sibling (mention), parental abandonment
Other books in the series:
- Foul Heart Huntsman (Foul Lady Fortune #2)
Have you read Foul Lady Fortune (Foul Lady Fortune #1)? What did you think of it?
Jill's Book Blog 