A haunting reimagination of 1920s pre-Code Hollywood, where film studios are run by the fae and fame might cost you everything you are. Both an examination of what it means to make your mark as an outsider and the prices we pay to leave our legacy, Lush prose, imaginative worldbuilding, and a compelling cast of characters all make this a book that's going to stay with me for a while.

From an early age, the girl who would become Luli Wei was entranced by the magic of Hollywood. Literal magic: human sacrifice, blood rites, and demonic pacts keep its insatiable engine turning, churning out films and transmuting a lucky handful of mortals into stars. She's determined not only to become a famous actress, but to do it without cutting herself down into one of the Asian stereotypes available to her. She is clever and ruthless enough to pull it off, clinging to her dream and her soul while surrounded by literal monsters on top of the quotidian racism, sexism, and homophobia. The world and heroine are both captivating.

I absolutely loved this book! It was the first I had read by Nghi Vo, but I will be going back to read more immediately.

The author combines fantasy and fairy tale to create a world that resembles Hollywood's Golden Age.

The storytelling is amazing!

Readers who enjoy fantasy are going to love this book!

was already looking forward to whatever Nghi Vo decided to do next, and then it came out that it was going to be a novel about a Chinese woman who falls into playing monsters in Golden Age Hollywood, and I was instantly in. Tordotcom was kind enough to pass along an ARC of this, so I shunted it to the top of my to-read stack digitally. What I love here is that we not only get Chinese magic traditions, but heavily, Faerie lore/Tam Lin/changelings/deals around names and blood for the studios themselves, which makes a perfect kind of sense for this age of Hollywood. The writing is lush and gorgeous, the threats are dark and real, and that our main character takes the route of Milicent Patrice in a way and specializes in playing monsters as a way to rise above the stereotype casting of the time is wonderfully done. I do wish we had gotten more of the person she ultimately falls in love with a bit sooner in the book, but honestly that’s the worst thing I have to say about the pacing. Nghi Vo is on my auto read list for a reason; pick this up when it comes out in May to see why.

This was one of my most anticipated reads and sadly it just wasn’t for me. This was kinda all over the place for me and at times I wasn’t too sure what was going on. I would’ve loved to know more about the magical elements. I didn’t feel connected to the characters at all. The writing was so stunning though, I was just expecting more!

Fabulous writing, a strange and unsettling world. A really unexpected and interesting look at pre-code Hollywood with some real twists. Magical realism. Deals with sexuality and race in some interesting ways while not losing track of the interior life of the main character. Some might find the ending unresolved.

Luli Wei desperately wants to be a movie star. She knows how dangerous Hollywood is and how limited roles are for Chinese women during pre-Code Hollywood. But she won't let that stand in her way of becoming a star. Even if that means selling some years of her life in a bargain, hiding her true sexuality and dealing with monsters both infront of and behind the camera.

I really enjoyed this book! I am a sucker for anything about Hollywood's Golden Age, and I thought this fantastical twist on a woman coming of age on the glamourous backlots of Hollywood was such a great read! Author Nghi Vo has such a strong and distinct voice. Her writing is descriptive without being dense, and she builds this world of a Hollywood infested with monsters and true magic, so well. I thought our main character, Luli Wei, was so intriguing. Her voice is very similar to other popular fictional characters set in this time, yet she was so distinct and complex. She isn't afraid to be a monster, or to fight against every stereotype people put her up against.

The only bump about this book, is actually through no fault of the book but something I missed. I came along this book on a "most anticipated of 2022" list, and I don't think it had any mention that this was a fantasy/historical fiction. If it did, I missed that part. I was expecting this story to be more akin to "Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." At the beginning I was extremely thrown off by the fantasy/magical elements of this book, it took me a while to understand that the monsters in this book were not just metaphorical but real. I think it only further adds another dimension to this story, and puts a new spin on the time period. But I will say, it took me for a spin at first and I had to change my whole mindset while reading further.

I would recommend this book to readers looking for a engaging look at Hollywood's golden age with a fantastical spin and a strong female lead. Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for letting me read an advance copy!

Siren Queen is a dark adult historical fantasy set in the golden age of hollywood. Parts of the plot reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo if Evelyn Hugo had shape-shifting humans, immortality, dark bargains, and a lot more wild metaphors that i’m not sure are still metaphors at some point. And yes, it is most definitely Queer.

“I would much rather be a monster than a victim.”


If there’s a list of books that holds the trophy for complex characters, this is one of them for sure… especially for characters that I'm not even sure are entirely human. The feeling Nghi Vo leaves me with her books is always worth the struggle of my last two braincells to comprehend what's happening in the beginning.

It feels so nuanced and empathetic while being incredibly thought provoking. This is a somewhat intense book that borders on poetic-whimsical and revolves around the intricacies of the behind the scenes of movie productions. Though I cant speak on it’s accuracy or if it even means to be accurate, it sure is incredibly captivating. There is a lot of social commentary on the romanticism of media and sexism there. Which is written in the most deliberately metaphorical-like way but it's funny that a lot of the metaphors aren't actually metaphors (which is how the fantasy aspects come in). I just love it.

“You better know who you are,” she said,
“because you don’t look strong enough to be me.”


Nghi Vo depicts so well the initial wonder, awe, confusion, and all the emotions in between of youth. Especially when faced with something that changes them. She uses a lot of lines that play with contradictions in the writing but they make so much sense relating to the nuance of the media and film industry. Especially adding to the commentary of white washed media and prejudice against Asians in films.

Fair warning, I do think this is the kind of book that you need to be AWAKE reading and it wasn’t something that I could passively read. Not that it’s a bad thing, just some fun facts ✨

"You are already betting on a small piece of forever,"


The magic system doesn't have that much of an explanation so if that's something that you're looking for, that isn't really what the story is about. It's certainly more focused on the characters and the message. I don't really need a plot to fall in love with a story nor do the characters need to be exactly "good" for me to enjoy the story. So this is perfect if you are the same and are looking for the kind of poetic-whimsical story with the atmosphere of old Hollywood. In classic Nghi Vo style, there are scenes within scenes and their skills of being able to tell a story within a story only gets better with each new release she puts out.

↣ This is for sure my favorite Nghi Vo book yet. If dark fantastical Evelyn Hugo sounds intriguing to you... I have the perfect book for you. ↢

*ARC sent by the publisher -Tor/Macmillan- for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

— 4.5 —
⇢ content warnings// Domestic Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Household Trauma, Misogyny, Physical Abuse, Sexism, Slight Body Gore, Xenophobia

I’ve liked this author’s novellas so I had immediately added this book to my TBR list when it was announced. Her last novel ended up not fully being my thing, but I was still very intrigued by this book’s premise. Siren Queen unveils a world of magic behind the shiny films of pre-Code Hollywood through the eyes of a Chinese-American actress who makes a name for herself playing monsters.

From the first time she watched a movie in theaters, Luli Wei was enamored and knew what she wanted to do. After obtaining small roles by standing around a film set, she blackmails a director into getting her an appointment with the infamous head of one of the popular studios. From there, she navigates a world that doesn’t want to see a Chinese girl on screen, particularly one who doesn’t play maids or foreigners and one that doesn’t follow the rules.

I’ll admit that, much like with The Chosen and the Beautiful, I liked the prose but was so, so confused with the worldbuilding. That’s really on me though; I just didn’t grasp where the story was going, even after I understood the strangeness (not in a bad way; that is just the only word I can think of) of this world. The magic in this world is just so deeply ingrained, and the stories they told felt almost folktale-y, except that they’re not exaggerating.

It’s a world where words and intent can become true, where celebrities literally become immortal through their fame and becoming a star, and where monsters lurk around the corner. This is Luli’s story of how she becomes such a star, which I state plainly because for some reason, I didn’t grasp that until literally the very end. She knows exactly what she wants for herself yet only thinks about how to fit her prospects to the world, not bending the world to her whim. However, in this way, she is changing the films and making her own path.

The narrative is also interesting. Again, she’s telling the story of how she rose to fame, so the entire book is her reflecting on the past to someone. It makes for a slow unveiling of a story, one that you can’t help but become immersed in. Even when I was confused, there’s something so gorgeous to Vo’s prose that I couldn’t put the book down.

Other than Luli obviously presenting as a person of color, she also is a lesbian. There are other queer people in the industry, whom she knows, but there is pressure to keep the head of the studio happy, which means clean-cut romances that he engineers. Of course, she refuses to be anything other than herself, and it was interesting seeing her relationships with two of her love interests develop.

Overall, Siren Queen was a magical story of becoming immortal as a star. It was interesting to see everything develop, and I liked following the protagonist. I think you’ll enjoy this book if you’ve enjoyed Nghi Vo’s other works or if you’re looking for a fantasy that reimagines a glorified time.

NOTE: I was given early access to this manuscript in exchange for writing an impartial review. Thank you netgalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge. Publication Date: May 10, 2022

This is a powerfully written, deeply emotional exploration of an ambitious Chinese woman who will stop at nothing to achieve stardom in Hollywood. It belongs to a genre that was unfamiliar to me: adult historical fantasy. So while it tells the story of Luli Wei's professional rise, from a child playing bit parts to lead actress under the old "studio system" -- it also contains actions that fall squarely into the realm of make-believe. I assume that since this is set in Hollywood, including make-believe in the story is exactly what author Nghi Vo thought most appropriate.

An Asian woman in 1930s Hollywood was something of an anomaly and a victim of substantial racism. The powerful wolves that ran the big studios did not know quite what to do with Luli Wei. But Luli is smart and persistent and manages to avoid the traditional pitfalls of rising stars, chiefly by using the very same tricks employed by the powerful.

The novel is a downright ugly glimpse into Hollywood, where hedonism reigns, where actors rise and fall on the whim of an executive, and where people sometimes disappear mysteriously. It's a place full of LGBTQ folks, all of whom are forced to hide that part of themselves, continually fearful of being outed to the public. Yet, at the same time, everyone seems to know who they really are.

The big strength of this book for me was the writing. But the genre of adult historical fantasy is not one I plan to explore further.

I honestly don't even know how to explain how much I loved this book. Nghi Vo is a masterful story teller. Weaving magic and mystery and fairy tale into the familiar in a way unlike any other. This Old Hollywood glam story tells the story of a Chinese-American girl with a dream of the silver screen and just the right amount of cold calculating strength to turn herself into one of the brightest stars in the sky.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the digital ARC to read in exchange for my honest review.

This book was one that I was expecting to love because of the excellent premise, but I didn't love all of it. Some parts of it drew me in, like the descriptions (particularly of the magic system), and the writing was really easy to read. There was a lot of diversity in this book, and it read so easily and cohesively as well. Though the magic system wasn't clear (which was a little disappointing for me), the elements that we heard about were so cool -- like the fires, the stars and the fact that the men running Hollywood were literal monsters. Nghi Vo's symbolism is so smart.

This book is different to other books because of this system, and the way the writing ebbs and twists around it -- it fits the genre and the story itself really well!

Despite this, I felt that a lot of the characters were a little flat, and I think this was because there was no clear plot running through the story that gave us character intentions and relationships. I am a reader who loves plot-driven books and I love reading books with a fat juicy plotline threaded through the story. Thus, this didn't completely suit my tastes.

I think that Siren Queen is a compulsively readable book that many will enjoy, especially if they love epic descriptions and magical realism.

WOW. Nghi Vo is a master storyteller and Siren Queen is an absolute masterpiece of a book. Capturing the glamour and darkness of 1930s movie making, magic and deals, of love and revenge, this book has it all. What an absolutely intoxicating story, what an enchanting main character who pulls you through her world and guides you through the movie lots, past the fires and the crooked directors and makes sure you come out on the other side. Luli Wei is an absolutely transcendent main character. She's beautiful, she's monstrous, she's the kind of character you can't look away from. And the queer undercurrent to this whole book is equally stunning, with the women who share Luli's heart and the queer characters of this book who help each other survive this world that does not want them to see the light of day... I wept at the end of this one. I loved it, I loved it, I loved it. I only wish that I could truly see Luli's films on screen, that she did not just belong to the pages of this book.
I can't recommend this book enough, it's an absolute triumph.

In SIREN QUEEN, Nghi Vo drops her readers into a 1930s Weinsteinian Hollywood, where ophidian skin-shedding studio heads giddily tyrannize wannabe stars. Pubescent Luli Wei, a second generation Chinese-American, enraptured by the silver screen and repulsed by the prospect of a life spent working in the family’s Los Angeles laundry, is willing to sacrifice her soul to achieve stardom.

Always a step ahead of the evil studio monsters who perceive most starlets as sacrificial lambs, Luli evades the bargains made in blood and ancient magic, bucks the system and becomes a commanding monster in her own right.

Atmospheric, well-written prose dominates the plot, which picks up momentum at the halfway mark. Some readers may find the storytelling disappointingly obscure, the ending a bit rushed and unsatisfying, but overall most will find SIREN QUEEN a unique and spellbinding read. My thanks to Nghi Vo, McMillian, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Luli Wei desperately wants to be a star in 1930’s Hollywood. We follow her rise to fame and all that comes with it. There isn’t much of a plot to this, nor is there much character development. There are small aspects of fantasy and magic, but it’s really not clear what’s going on most of the time and it doesn’t add or detract much from the story. The prose is well-written, but I really found myself trudging through this. It’s more atmospheric than anything and I kept waiting for something substantial to happen. I feel like the author could have done a lot more with this concept

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Macmillian-Tor/ Forge for an advanced copy of this supernatural novel set in glamourous Hollywood controlled by demons, dark gods and their willing minions.

Hollywood has always been known for its magic, its many mysteries and mysterious disappearances, or appearances of mysterious people fated to be stars. Of spectacles and glamour that live forever on nitrate shown in the dark to uproarious believers. A city that seemed like an Oz filled with characters larger than life, and more eldritch. Siren Queen by Nghi Vo is a Hollywood rags to riches tale featuring a strong woman who stands out because of her race, who she loves and her skills at being the right creature at the right time. And not even the darkest creature in La-La Land can stand in her way.

An actress looks back her her beginnings, starting as a young Chinese- American girl working in a laundry with her family, who discovered cinema early, paying an odd admission cost to enter but falling in love with what she saw. A chance brings her some extra work, and extra pay needed for all in the Depression, with a promise of more. The young woman's small scene leads to big dreams, and after a bit of sacrificing, and a little bit of conniving finds herself at the biggest studio in Hollywood, run by the most feared movie mogul, a Wolfe in man's clothing. She is given a name Luli Wei and entered into the studio system, where she finds love, learns to act and what fresh hell she has found herself in. Becoming a monster in a monster hit brings her close to her dream of stardom, but everything has a price.

This book is just full of everything. Love, family, movie lore, history, the role of women, and living in a world being not of the majority. The story is different and new, and full of interesting characters, and is a world that could easily be visited again for fresh stories. However it is the woman who becomes Luli Wei that makes the story, just a brilliant fresh character with a clear voice and lot going on inside. The writing is very good, clear, and mysterious enough that though you don't get a lot of history about how we got to where this system came from, you don't care. One of the freshest books with ideas on each page that some authors would make entire series on.

There are many to recommend this book too. Fantasy fans, horror fans, Hollywood fans, LGBTQ fans. People who like novels that are different, people who want to get lost in a new world. People who enjoy great writing. This novel has so much to offer, for such a small book. This is the only thing I have read by this author, but it won't be the last. I can't wait to see what Nghi Vo has in store for us next.

Riveting

This book isn't just a clever fantasy twist on the idea of "movie magic". This book offers more than expected in almost every possible way.


Start with a top drawer Lovecraftian eldritch demon/monster book. Add a tough, brutal, noir-ish magical world where there are no faeries and no illusions and everyone plays for keeps. Then cross it with "Sunset Boulevard" and "Sweet Smell of Success". Oh, and add taut, crisp, prose and a self-aware, tough as nails heroine with a cold heart to match the ice in her veins. Somehow find yourself admiring her and rooting for her as she navigates treachery and horror. That's what you get here, and I loved every bit of it - the storytelling, the characters, the world, and the quick silver writing.


This book isn't postmodern or ironic or a hip dismissal or parody of a genre. The author whole heartedly embraces and commits to telling a traditional rags to riches Hollywood story, but with a totally convincing and compelling, (and, admittedly, sometimes overstuffed and melodramatic), horror magic Faustian twist. A challenging high-wire act that totally worked.


The #MeToo analogies are stunningly obvious, but they aren't belabored, (or the sole point of the book), and feel almost coincidental rather than intentional. I guess that's because the sexual predation of Hollywood was always evident to anyone who looked and always a part of Hollywood, long before Harvey-the-monster hit the headlines. What does seem intentional, of course, is the underlying queer love story that tells us so much about our heroine and that underlies so many of her finer moments. On that score, totally apart from the fascinating fantasy and magic, the book succeeds astonishingly well.


So, this is a book that comes at you from many unexpected angles, and surprises and delights in equal measure. As I said, much more than just a clever movietown fantasy.


(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Written in first person, past tense, single POV, SIREN QUEEN reads like an autobiography, heavy on the narrative, yet intimate, poetic and bursting with emotion.

Filled with strange magic and gorgeous imagery, SIREN QUEEN is a character driven tale about a Chinese American woman’s spectacular rise to stardom. The reader only knows her by the nickname (CK) and name given to her by the head of the movie studio (Luli), like she was never anything more than a character in a film. I hit the last page and was a bit bummed that I never learned CK/Luli’s real name. Maybe it was something she wanted to protect and keep for herself, working in an industry that exploited young women, especially Asian woman, for financial and personal gain.

If you like slow burn books filled with sweet sapphic dalliances, strange magic and kickass female narrators/MC’s, then you will love this book!

I received a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Siren Queen offers a 1930s Hollywood with real monsters, magic, rituals, sacrifices, and then more. Its main character is a Chinese-American queer woman who knows what she wants and when she wants it. I read the premise and thought: This is already what dreams are made of!

Luli Wei chases her dreams no matter what the cost, whether it means sacrificing years off of her life or stealing the identity of someone dear to her. Throughout her journey to reach her stars, she would encounter people who would challenge her in many ways than she anticipated. I must admit I expected a lot of Hollywood glamor when I started reading, but soon enough I realized that this book offers the monstrosity within—not the mask provided. In order to truly appreciate this book, one should look past the surface. Every single character and tale told has their own symbolism that could be interpreted differently by readers, but is there regardless.

This is the first book I've read from Nghi Vo, and while I've heard so much praise for her writing, nothing could have prepared me for this mystical, magical prose and storytelling of hers. Overall, I enjoyed every second of reading this. It is one of those books that allow you to drift away from everything else, totally consumed within the pages. If you like old Hollywood, the concepts of fame and mortality, and a dark integration of fantasy within it, then this book is for you.

Thank you, Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley, for providing me with an eGalley in exchange for an honest review.

(I posted a slightly longer review on Goodreads which will also be posted on my blog on the 2nd of April.)

4.5 stars

This was the most anticipated novel of 2022 for me, and I'm delighted to report that it didn't disappoint.

Siren Queen is a dark and haunting fantasy novel set in the big studio Hollywood era. Vo has reimagined the film studios as a place of monsters, fey contracts, blood tributes to the Wild Hunt, stars who literally rise and gain immortality, cameras which eat souls, extras which are little more than empty husks, Friday night fires where the powerful hold court, and where danger prowls in the darkness at the edge of the lots. The sublime sits side by side with the horrific. Vo's metaphors are rich and evocative and her worldbuilding blends the glamour of Hollywood with the darkness and corruption underneath. The result is a vivid, darkly enchanting world (like a siren's song!), which reminded me a lot of her previous novel, The Chosen and the Beautiful. My only issue with the worldbuilding here (which I didn't have in TCaTB) is that I felt we were thrown entirely into the deep end from page one. I'd have liked a bit more exposition, something to ground us in the world. Once I accepted that everything is fantastical in some way, then it clicked into place; but I felt lost at first, or perhaps a touch overwhelmed, and it took me some time to get used to it.

The story is more than glamour, sultry worldbuilding, and the pursuit of stardom. Luli Wei is a queer Asian American, and the novel touches on issues of racism and sexism as well LGBT and harrassment (among others), which give depth and substance to the story. It's incredible how multi-faceted everything is; and how Vo depicts her world with love and compassion. [For example, the queer woman who wants to hide her sexuality isn't demonised because she makes the safe choice for her at that time. The Black actress who plays the happy maid isn't shown as lesser for accepting those roles, but as a powerful woman who used the system to become a millionaire. (hide spoiler)]

Indeed, the great strength of the novel is the cast of characters. Luli Wei, the protagonist, is a woman of steely determination with an intense longing for the movies. She knows what she wants and she's willing to go far to get it, but she also sets clear boundaries. Luli is surrounded by a cast of equally complex characters, all drawn with compassion. Greta, in particular, is a fantastic character; she leaps off the page. We also meet Luli's family, her lovers, her friends, the studio bosses and coworkers. Two things I love in books are nuance and subtlety, and this novel has got both in heaps. There's no black and white; people and relationships are as complex and messy and wonderful and flawed as real life.

In short, it's a brilliant, well-paced novel, with great prose, marvellous atmosphere and a strong main character. I enjoyed it a great deal and can't wait to see what Nghi Vo will write next!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Forge for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.