Review Detail

What I loved: I was drawn to this book's premise as it is based in the 1920s in a politically torn world of Shanghai and is also a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The Scarlet Gang and The White Flowers fight for control of a small piece of the world in hopes of not being eradicated by communists in the process. The aspect of the waring houses being gangsters and unknown plague or monster terrorizing the city makes for a nail-biting story.

What Left Me Wanting More: I wanted to know more about both sides of the family side characters that play the main characters entourage. We get bits and pieces about how the cousins are not truly part of the family but are still in the inner circle. I also wanted to know more about where these insects came from, other than they are a hive mind that terrorizes the city. The descriptions of how these creatures threaten are fascinating and disgusting, and it is a wonder that they can keep anyone from dying once infected.

The Final Verdict: The research that the author put into this story makes it feel authentic. The addition of the monster, vaccines, and threats to families all make for a compelling Historical-Fantasy. The Communists, British, English, and other foreigners, along with the Scarlet and White Flowers, are constantly fighting to gain a piece of this city.