This book was just not for me. I liked the premise of this book, which is about old Hollywood with magical realism woven in that involves starlets and the monsters who run the film business. However, I became bored rather quickly and the writing didn't flow well enough to keep my attention.

Full disclose I stopped reading this at 80%. I just couldn't force myself to finish knowing I wasn't going to like it anymore and felt at this point I gave it enough of a chance to determine if it would turn around for me. This is my first book by this author and if this style is her usual, I will not be reading anymore by her.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

Myth: 3.5/5

The Golden Age of Hollywood brought with it the worst types of monsters. Luli’s story explores very real racism and sexism in the Hollywood studios with fantastical flare. Luli wants to become a star, but to do so she has to make her way through the terrors of studio life. A Chinese woman doesn’t have a lot of choices for roles in Hollywood, but Luli fights her way past that and stares down the demons and devils to make sure her star shines.

Magic: 3/5

I would call this more magical realism than any type of fantasy genre. There were discussion of blood magic, the Wild Hunt and other fantastical elements that kept the studio running, but they were so casually interwoven into the Hollywood Golden Age story that you had to stop and check if it was literal or illustrative.

Overall: 3/5

A historical fiction encompassing the worst of Hollywood during it’s rise. Luli fights to make sure her star shines along with all the rest, even when every circumstance seems pitted against her.

Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous. Nghi Vo's writing is a whole new genre of beautiful. Every bit of prose is unparalleled. I really adored this book.

Nghi Vo just keeps getting better and better as a writer. Siren Queen explores the literal side of Hollywood magic and tells the story of Luli Wei as she changes from a Chinese daughter working in her family's laundry business into a movie star, but the story is brushed with the supernatural. But that magic is so seamlessly woven into what in other hands could have been a cliched "discovery of a star", that everything old is new again. It's fascinating to see how the author weaves in the difficulties of a woman of color trying to break away from stereotyped roles in the studio system (albeit with the mythological Wild Hunt vibe) of the 1930s. Complex characters, unexpected turns in the story, and a satisfying ending make this book well worth the read.

Well, this was wonderful.

I mean, I really, really, really didn’t like Luli so much on the surface, yet I admired her. She’s tough and cold and is just determined to be who she wants to be.

This dark fantasy of movies and monsters is utterly compelling. I was immediately drawn into this world – a world I didn’t want to live in, but was so fascinated by!

I’d love to read the author again. I was enmeshed in this world and the book is definitely one you’ll think about well beyond the last page!

*ARC via Publisher

This book is a completely original take on Old Hollywood (think 1940s the studios own and control everything). It's written with lyrical prose and magical realism that make this book all about the atmosphere. It's an immersive take on a world that has been done over and over but felt new.

The characters, metaphors, and prose are all layered so this is a book that you need to wade through and go slowly and think over. It is beautifully written and all the characters are memorable and want to leap off the page. I especially loved that the main character is a Sapphic Chinese American - not a typical main character in a 1940s Hollywood plotline - it opened up new avenues for the story and was fully incorporated (rather than an afterthought). I also just really liked the main character - she felt real and at the end I was sad I couldn't go watch her movies or read more about her.

My main "problem" is that this book is just not my style - I am not the reader that this book is aimed for (I prefer more plot drive driven books) so it while not my favorite book this is a wonderful piece of work that I hope the people it is for find it (and love it as it deserves).

This was an utterly fabulous read, and nothing at all like what I expected. This is fantasy at its best: with worldbuilding so smooth it requires very little explanation, characters who don't rail against or flail in the strange circumstances but rise to them and seize the power for themselves, and writing that is nothing short of magic itself.

In Siren Queen, Hollywood is a world of monsters: something like the wild Faerie courts of the earliest ballads and tales, filled with changelings, captured hearts, and glamour. Some rise out of the mayhem to become (literal) stars, while others are slowly devoured, their names consumed and forgotten. There is some evidence early in the story that this type of magic used to be more ubiquitous, but with the rise of globalism and the pedestals that people could stand on in view of the whole world, immortality is concentrated in the films of the times. So we meet our at-first-unnamed protagonist, whose family used to barter in the current of this magic but are slowly being pushed to the edges. Through a combination of luck and tenacity, the now-christened Luli sets out to become a star herself. It is a rough road, filled with dancing lessons in high heels that just might steal one's feet, kisses that must be stolen so that love is not twisted into a game of passion and death, and friendships with the odd and the unreal that stand as a bulwark against the monsters lurking at bay. Yet Luli begins to stand out when she is cast as a siren, the villain of a hit movie, whose ruthless energy matches Luli's own. This, of course, sets her at odds with the real monsters, the mavens of the film industry, who find it more difficult to control a wild thing with power of her own than a placid fainting femme, and Luli is faced with a choice: how much of herself will she give of herself so that she will be remembered?

Luli is a great heroine, conniving but true to herself and those she calls real friends, and her star is hers alone in Nghi Vo's beautiful writing. The world is vicious but familiar in a way, uneasily but bitingly aware of its parallels to now. I was absolutely swept away, like one is by the greatest of films, where one doesn't need special effects or even sounds to be drawn into the charisma of the minds behind it and the faces on the screen. I certainly won't be forgetting Luli any time soon.

*Many thanks to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this eARC!

“Siren Queen”
By Nghi Vo

Mesmerizing Old Hollywood Magical Realism Noir

What a compelling twist on the early days of Hollywood award-winning author Nghi Vo spins in her latest novel, “Siren Queen,” a mystical allegory about the desperation for success actresses, actors, and studio executives sought at all costs.

“Siren Queen” is a hauntingly delicious, dark tale of desire and rebellion. CK (Chinese Kid), as her first director called her, is a stoic fast learner. Later known as Luli Wei, ‘Star of all the East,’ will do anything to make it big—even sell 20-years of her life—signed in blood.

Luli isn’t the only one making sacrificial pacts for success. Studio Executive Oberlin Wolfe may be more than he appears—especially when he leads the Wild Hunt on Halloween when human sacrifice is required. What about the Friday fires? Do spirits of the deceased join in the conclaves? Do incandescent Swedish cow women with tails and hollow backs exist? If so, can they be captured with sanctified ropes? Does the splendor and mystique of these mythical cow women persist in captivity?

These are just a few of the intriguing questions lurking in the shadows and dark corners of this vital work of Nghi Vo that puts the spotlight on the topics of racism, discrimination, stereotypes—and sexuality. FYI: This novel does explore, very tastefully, lesbian relationships.

I’m a great fan of magical realism and speculative fiction authors like Alice Hoffman and Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I’m thrilled to see Nghi Vo expand in this direction with “Siren Queen” because this style offers a lyrically poetic ambiance to the narrative and a lush atmospheric quality to the settings.

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The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs

STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: “Siren Queen”
Author: Nghi Vo
Genre: Fiction (Adult) | Sci-Fi & Fantasy |
Publication Date: 09 May 2022
Publisher: Macmillan-Tor/Forge

Sincere thanks and appreciation go to NetGalley, Author Nghi Vo, and Publisher Macmillan Tor/Forge for this Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC) for review.

I had a wonderful time reading this truly eerie and evocative story about an alternative pre-code Hollywood where magic and menace are all around. I've loved Nghi Vo's novellas in the past and was delighted to find more of that stellar storytelling in this more long-form work.
This story is one that you definitely have to let happen, I'm not sure at any point I was confident about what would happen next and I liked it that way, this has the feel of someone recalling their own past, vivid memories of some moments and a more blurred sense of others. That can make it feel a little slow to start but I would urge readers to press on - it gets so good towards the end you aren't going to want to miss it.
I'd recommend this both to people just wanting a great story and also those who want some thought provoking looks at the 'golden age' of Hollywood and just who was being exploited or perhaps misrepresented (or not represented at all) during that time. Yes this book does also include literal monsters but you can tell Nghi Vo is trying to make a point without it feeling like it's being hammered into you.
I'll continue to be on the lookout for any and everything Nghi Vo writes!
My rating: 4/5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley all opinions are my own,

Luli Wei is a rising star in the golden age of Hollywood. Movies catch her fascination and ambition from a very young age, and she does whatever she can to get into the business. The business, though, is full of horrors and beastly producers and directors. After stipulating “no maids, no funny talking, no fainting flowers,” Luli earns her fame by playing monsters, most notably a siren. She stands strong against the dark magic that rules the industry.

Vo is a phenomenal writer. The way she weaves the magical elements into an otherwise realistic story is arresting in the best way. The beasts and horrors sneak their way into scenes and make you slow down and really pull you into the story. Luli is such a strong and determined character. She knows who she is and what she wants and does exactly what she has to to get it. Highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy and magical realism or for anyone wanting a strong female lead.

​​ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A lot of the elements reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but that's not to say that this book is not original. Despite my previous comparison, this book managed to create a whole new different experience for me. Luli Wei is a fascinating protagonist and Nghi Vo's writing style had me foaming at the mouth with how good it is.

Siren Queen is a dark adult fantasy by Nghi Vo set in the golden age of cinema. It is a vivid, enthralling story of magic and sacrifice and what it takes to get to the top.
While I had really high expectations for Siren Queen, I think ultimately I was somewhat underwhelmed. I think ultimately it came down to the pacing of the story; while I found Nghi Vo's prose absolutely enchanting, I think at times it slows down the narrative, and as a result I had to trudge through several parts of the books, since they felt incredibly slow and not quite tense enough. I think this is mostly a 'me' problem, since I had a similar issue while reading Vo's "The Chosen And The Beautiful".
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the magical realism and how the author incorporated symbolism into the narrative: it's subtle and smart and creates such a wonderful ambience for the dark, rich tale of Hollywood. I think men running Hollywood being literal monsters was a spectacular move; we too often ignore and disregard the darker, more depressing aspects of Hollywood fame, but Nghi Vo made sure to present it in an intense and incredibly convincing manner.
That being said, I didn't find most of the characters as compelling as I would want them to be. Specifically, besides the main character, everyone else felt a little two-dimensional and not fleshed out enough. I think it was still entertaining, but when the lackluster characterization joined the slow pace, it became a struggle for me.
Overall, although I enjoyed Siren Queen, I wasn't quite as impressed as I had assumed I would be. I think this book simply isn't for me.

Nghi Vo does it again. Lush, magical, sinister. I will be a reader of her work for life, can’t wait to see this one hit shelves in a couple of months!

At first reminiscent of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” Nghi Vo’s “Siren Queen” gives all of the glamor and love of the biz alongside the rise of a brilliant star. Her love stories are critical to her development, but the focus is never for the main character to find love -- but, rather, success. There are plenty of intimate moments throughout, though, both romantic and otherwise. “Siren Queen” features an intoxicating, powerful voice in its main character. The fae elements are subtle, more magic realism than urban fantasy, and that adds to the glamour of the situation. The fantastical combines with the power imbalances and underhanded deals of real Hollywood to create a world where its stars physically shine. This is the story of the Siren Queen and what becomes of a second-generation Chinese-American young woman who falls in love with movies. It is the story of a monster fighting to be nothing more or less than what she is. It is a perfect standalone -- though I would definitely sacrifice an inch of my hair for another.

As of the moment, Siren Queen is the most enjoyable Nghi Vo book I've read. You have: a bunch of lesbians, classical Hollywood, an Asian protagonist, modern fae folk where they all work in a film studio - though never explicitly stated you can literally tell by the writing and the details lol?! This one is for the Evelyn Hugo baddies if you don't mind some teaspoons of fantasy in your cup of tea.

Nghi Vo's writing is stunning as usual. The protagonist's mentality was constantly intertwined with imageries and not once words were wasted. The incorporation of a grim and peculiar portrayal of mythical creatures, namely fairy fantasy, and the golden age film industry was brilliant. The narrator was no longer somebody else's storyteller anymore (finally), which should've left room for the MC's emotions to show but eventually not satisfying enough, considering Luli was so busy caring for others, got like three sentences to talk about herself every time something happened while most of the other time never faced real stakes. This and the fact some forgotten details just popped out of nowhere is quite irritating. But aside from that, Nghi Vo definitely showed growth from her past works. Can't wait to see what more she had to offer.

"From award-winning author Nghi Vo comes a dazzling new novel where immortality is just a casting call away.

It was magic. In every world, it was a kind of magic.

"No maids, no funny talking, no fainting flowers." Luli Wei is beautiful, talented, and desperate to be a star. Coming of age in pre-Code Hollywood, she knows how dangerous the movie business is and how limited the roles are for a Chinese American girl from Hungarian Hill - but she doesn't care. She’d rather play a monster than a maid.

But in Luli's world, the worst monsters in Hollywood are not the ones on screen. The studios want to own everything from her face to her name to the women she loves, and they run on a system of bargains made in blood and ancient magic, powered by the endless sacrifice of unlucky starlets like her. For those who do survive to earn their fame, success comes with a steep price. Luli is willing to do whatever it takes - even if that means becoming the monster herself.

Siren Queen offers up an enthralling exploration of an outsider achieving stardom on her own terms, in a fantastical Hollywood where the monsters are real and the magic of the silver screen illuminates every page."

THE author of last year brings us some Golden Age Hollywood that's magical. Literally.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and Nghi Vo for the advanced copy of Siren Queen in exchange for my honest review.

This book is completely and totally outside of my normal genre, and I think that ultimately could be the reason it just didn't really work for me. The writing is wonderful and there was quite a bit of symbolism, but I almost felt like I was back in high school English class--where I almost felt like I was too dense to fully comprehend what was happening.

I didn't really connect with any of the characters and there were so many times throughout the book I genuinely had no clue what was going on. The magical element was just kind of sprinkled in and not really explained in a way that allowed it to flow smoothly for me.

Suffice to say, this one just wasn't for me, but this author is clearly very talented and I think Siren Queen will be widely loved among other readers.

A unique story, full of interesting ideas, which blends magic with old Hollywood.

So there's this Chinese-American girl who falls in love with movies and acting, and she is determined on becoming a star. She doesn't hesitate to give up things or betray people close to her, and gets what she wants: a contract with one of the big three movie producers. Her main condition? “No maids, no funny talking, no fainting flowers." That's how our main character becomes Luli Wei and her story to stardom begins.
There are magical elements in this book, like hungry cameras, walking dolls, women with cow tail, rituals, and many more. I found many of the magical elements very smart and original, and they generally enhanced the world.
The strongest part of the book was definitely the whole first Act ( there are three of them). The world was still new to me and very interesting, and I loved not-yet-Luli Wei's ambition. After the first act, everything became less interesting, Luli lost her spark, and I didn't care about the romances.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

This was such a perfect and atmospheric read.

'Siren Queen' delivered a luscious, dark, rich and monstrous world of old Hollywood that I would love to read more about from Nghi Vo.

The metaphors for different aspects of the story made sense and the commentary from the author highlighted their importance.

Nghi Vo brought a different and more monstrous version of Hollywood to life, that does not differ that much from the one we know today.

The writing style, the descriptions and the setting of the book help the reader emerge into the world that is 'Siren Queen'.

I loved every page of this book and I will most likely read it again, when I have the chance to.

Nghi Vo has one of the most captivating writing styles I've ever come across. "Siren Queen" is a ferocious, glittering novel, and the author perfectly captures the feeling of yearning. Desire plays a central role in the narrative, and the feeling manifests itself in different ways for the main character. Luli wants agency, equality, and fame. As a queer Chinese American woman trying to succeed in a white male-led industry, she has to fight a lot harder than some of the other actors around her to be seen as worthy of respect. Queer desire is also expressed in such an honest yet poetic way. Despite this being a fantasy novel, "Siren Queen" does not sugar-coat the disturbing reality of 1930s Hollywood. Instead, it weaves magical elements into the text while also addressing prominent social issues.