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Winter is drawing thick in 1932 Shanghai, as is the ever-nearing threat of a Japanese invasion.
Rosalind Lang has suffered the worst possible fate for a national spy: she's been exposed. With the media storm camped outside her apartment for the infamous Lady Fortune, she's barely left her bedroom in weeks, plotting her next course of action after Orion was taken and his memories of Rosalind wiped. Though their marriage might have been a sham, his absence hurts her more than any physical wound. She won't rest until she gets him back.
But with her identity in the open, the task is near impossible. The only way to leave the city and rescue Orion is under the guise of a national tour. It's easy to convince her superiors that the countryside needs unity more than ever, and who better than an immortal girl to stir pride and strength into the people?
When the tour goes wrong, however, everything Rosalind once knew is thrown up in the air. Taking refuge outside Shanghai, old ghosts come into the open and adversaries turn to allies. To save Orion, they must find a cure to his mother's traitorous invention and take this dangerous chemical weapon away from impending foreign invasion—but the clock is ticking, and if Rosalind fails, it's not only Orion she loses, but her nation itself.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
September 26, 2023 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781665905633
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781665905633
- File size: 20924 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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August 1, 2023
Several months after losing Orion to Lady Hong in Foul Lady Fortune (2022), Rosalind Lang sets out to save her kidnapped partner. Since the confrontation at Warehouse 34, a heartbroken Rosalind has remained sequestered in her apartment to avoid reporters who want a glimpse of the Nationalist assassin Fortune. When the Nationalists refuse to rescue Orion and reveal plans to decommission Rosalind, she volunteers to tour the country, using her fame to boost Chinese morale in the face of Japanese military aggression. Rosalind's true motive, however, is to lure out Lady Hong and Orion, and she sets herself as bait by claiming to possess Lady Hong's final vial of a serum that creates invincible supersoldiers. As soon as the Communists discern Rosalind's plan, they assign Celia Lang and Oliver Hong to follow Rosalind and capture Orion for their own cause. Meanwhile, Nationalist triple agent Silas Wu continues his single-minded pursuit of the enigmatic Communist sharpshooter Priest, unaware that Priest is actually Phoebe Hong, who is equally determined to maintain her facade as merely Orion and Oliver's younger sister. Conflicting loyalties and long-held secrets put characters to the test in this packed but nonetheless fast-paced sequel, which is told by the main cast in third-person narration. With the stakes higher than ever, they must carefully choose whom to trust as they race against time to save their friends, family, and country. An impressive, albeit stuffed, conclusion to the duology. (Historical fantasy. 13-18)COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Starred review from November 1, 2023
Gr 9 Up-Following the devastating standoff at the end of Foul Lady Fortune, Rosalind Lang has been exposed as the deadly almost-immortal operative Fortune while her former mission partner, Orion Hong, has been kidnapped by his own mother for further Frankenstein-esque experimentation. Although Rosalind's friends and family are irrevocably tangled in the political knot enveloping 1932 Shanghai as the Communists, Nationalists, and Japanese imperialists wrangle for control, they all come together to rescue Orion and stop Lady Hong's terrifying experimentation in its tracks. This installment extends points of view among more characters than the previous novels, incorporating more significant contributions from Alisa Montagova, Rosalind's sister Celia, and Orion's sister Phoebe. Much like previous books, the nebulous antagonist is given brief point-of-view moments that simultaneously provide clues about their motivation and sow doubt regarding their true identity. Both politics and mystery unfold with precise pacing, while the character dynamics remain riveting throughout. Most significant characters are East Asian; several characters are bisexual, Rosalind is demisexual, and Celia is transgender. VERDICT Heavy on a classical interpretation of science fiction as well as clearly explained history that is rarely highlighted in Western media, this is a first pick for any library searching for a refreshing take on either genre.-Austin Ferraro
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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