It’s the golden age of Hollywood. For two Vietnamese dreamers, success means conjuring a magical break in a spellbinding novel about the frightening price of fame by the author of The Monstrous Misses Mai.

More like sisters than best friends, Issa Bui and Olivia Nong grew up dreaming of becoming movie stars. But for young Vietnamese women in 1930s Hollywood, the MGM back lot seems unreachable. Undeterred, Issa knows she’s meant for great things. The blood of shamans runs through her veins. To find fame in this town, for herself and for Olivia, Issa needs to make connections. For starters, with her dead grandmother Bà Ngoại.

Frightening enough in life—Issa’s own mother forbade any contact—Bà Ngoại is even more intimidating in death. A formidable presence of smoke, promises, and pacts, Bà Ngoại introduces Issa and Olivia to her friend on the other side: the late Ava Lin Rang, a singularly magnetic Asian star of the silent screen. Ava coaches, encourages, and utilizes her own unique influence to open doors for her determined protégés.

As Issa begins drawing on her own untapped powers, every dream is coming true. But in a city of illusions, at what cost?