Arc Review
If you enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this is definitely the book for you. Especially if you enjoyed the old Hollywood rags to riches story with a complex and flawed protagonist, I think you’ll enjoy this. This had a very similar feel, but with a darker atmosphere and an addition of magic.

I really enjoyed the character of Lulu and her story. She was definitely very flawed and maybe morally grey, except I’m not quite sure what makes a character that. I did feel at times that the other characters could have used more complexity and depth but it didn’t take too much away from the story seeing as its focus was very much on Lulu. 

I found the magical element to be a very interesting addition but unfortunately it didn’t seem too important to the story. I think it either could’ve been done away with completely or built upon more so that it didn’t feel so much like just a side though thrown in. 

The writing really stood out for me however, it captured the atmosphere and the voice of the character excellently. I felt that the conversation on race, class, and queerness was done really well and clearly by an author who knows what they are talking about. It was added smoothly to the story and was made central to the plot in a way that felt justified.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and thought the writing and story was really well done. I would definitely recommend this to others and am interested to check out more of Nghi Vo’s work.