ARC Review: Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong

Hi besties!!

So today I shall be reviewing FOUL LADY FORTUNE, this book gave me pain, and the plot twists gave me premature heart failure— but on the other hand I have seven new bffs, and I love them 🥹🫶 If you don’t know already I am kinda obsessed with whatever Chloe Gong writes, and needless to say I absolutely love this book too 💞

Let’s get on with the review!!

Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong

SYNOPSIS:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes 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.

Out September 27th 2022!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

*Note: Quotes used in this review are public snippets shared by the author on their social media already. They will not contain any spoilers.*

As I am trying to write this review, I cannot remember how to write coherent reviews, and I also sound British as I am typing this sentence out, so that is cool I guess. Anyway, my thoughts about this cannot be summarised in a review but I shall try my best.

The time period FOUL LADY FORTUNE is set in was a delight to read about. The setting was enigmatic and so was the atmosphere of the novel. I mean 1931 Shanghai? As a history junkie this book is everything to me, and even-though it is historical fiction, I think the ‘historical’ aspect was very well put and developed. We also get to see more political aspects in this book, which was enjoyed a lot by me.

The plot needless to say was wonderful too. So wonderful that the amount of plot twists gave me borderline heart-failure, because I did not predict them at all. Yes, they were that good.

Nation over everything. But not you, sweetheart. Never your life in exchange.

FOUL LADY FORTUNE also has seven characters!!!!! Rosalind, Orion, Celia, Oliver, Silas, Phoebe, and Alisa. I love them all so much. The book also has multiple POVs but it’s not as if all seven has singular POVs, each POV is shown but it’s different than I was thinking, it will be clearer once the book is out. Many of these characters are related, but on different side. SO there was a lot of tension but also “I’ll love my sibling, it doesn’t matter if we’re on different sides.” That was so wholesome for me 🥹🫶

The FLF gang by the super talented @imedmiart

I don’t think I can talk more about this book without getting super spoilery so I shall talk about Rosalind and Orion now, AKA my parents because I will never love any two people more.

“ORION”
“I AM DOING MY BEST BELOVED”
YOU’RE GOING TO GIVE ME A HERNIA”

So Rosalind is my grumpy, snarky, cannot take a single minute more of Orion’s shit queen and I can’t believe I’m saying this but I love her, because yes her redemption arc is that good. And she is also Demisexual!! Although the book doesn’t label her as that, because the term did not exist at that time, the author has mentioned this multiple times on their platforms, and it is also explored very well in the book. I also have an unhealthy attachment to Orion Hong too now, because he’s my chaotic bisexual, playboy, man-child who makes too many jokes. SO yes, he’s just like me for real and I love him.

Rosalind and Orion together make me feral. So first off they need to be fake married for their mission. Can you imagine the angst?? The “kiss me or someone might catch us”, all of this till the point you don’t know if it’s fake or real?? Chloe Gong wants to murder her readers for real, because I cannot survive this. Also their dynamic is so much funnier than Roma and Juliette’s, like I love my first parents, but I’m sorry my new parents are way funnier. Have I mentioned they make me feral?

Rosalind and Orion by the talented @farawaygrace

To conclude, if you want to read more in the TVD+OVE universe, and want to read about a ✨new✨ Rosalind then be excited for this book!! Spies, fake marriage, uncovering killings across Shanghai, and teaming up with cut-off siblings. FOUL LADY FORTUNE is a book nobody is ready for.

RATING: Highest of Recommendations!

Is this book for you?

PERFECT FOR: Fans of historical fiction, like political aspects in books, like Chinese period dramas.

THINK TWICE IF: You do not like books with multiple POVs.

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical, Romance.

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Thank you so much for reading, I hope you all enjoy FOUL LADY FORTUNE as much as I did !!!