Daughter of Calamity

Mysterious Shanghai, secrets, violence, history, gangs, and a bit of magic in the dark of night. The setting so rich, the story so complex, almost an experience rather than a book.

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rosalie M. Lin's "Daughter of Calamity" is a richly woven tapestry of intrigue and dark fantasy set against the backdrop of 1930s Shanghai. Lin's novel is a masterful blend of historical fiction and fantasy, creating a world where the glamour of the era coexists with a chilling undercurrent of supernatural dread. This book is a vivid reimagining that will appeal to fans of Nghi Vo and S. A. Chakraborty, offering a unique perspective on a time and place rarely explored in fantasy literature.

The story centers on Jingwen, a showgirl at the Paramount, a nexus of Shanghai's nightlife, who is entangled in a web of danger and deceit. By day, she is a dancer competing for the attention of wealthy patrons; by night, she assists her grandmother, a surgeon with deep ties to the city's most powerful gang. Lin portrays Jingwen's dual life with skill, capturing the glittering surface of her world and the dark realities that lie beneath.

The narrative takes a sinister turn with the mysterious assaults on dancers, whose faces are gruesomely stolen and later found on foreign socialites. This plot element serves not just as a thrilling mystery but also as a metaphor for the city's duality, the price of its opulence, and the exploitation hidden under its luxurious façade. Lin's depiction of 1930s Shanghai is both atmospheric and authentic, immersing the reader in a world of silver-armed gangsters, backroom deals, and divine powers.

However, the novel's ambitious scope sometimes leads to a complexity that can be overwhelming. The intertwining of historical detail, fantasy elements, and a large cast of characters requires attentive reading to fully appreciate the intricacies of the plot and the world Lin has created.

"Daughter of Calamity" is a compelling and imaginative work that combines historical depth with fantasy elements to create a story that is both unique and enthralling. Lin's talent for world-building and her ability to weave together different genres make this novel a standout in both historical fiction and fantasy. Readers who enjoy a story that challenges conventions and offers a rich, immersive experience will find "Daughter of Calamity" a rewarding read.

Magical realism in jazz age Shanghai? Sign me up. Daughter of Calamity is beautifully written with some very lyrical language about the city, dance and martial arts. It took a bit for me to settle in to it, as the early chapters suffer from the naïveté of the protagonist, but Jingwen develops a lot over the course of the novel. Overall, a very interesting tale that really suffuses you in the atmosphere of the jazz age. It reminds me of a cross between Mexican Gothic and Last Call at the Nightingale.

Amazing, hard, and gritty, with no punches pulled! A great look at the world of Shanghai before WWII, and from the view of three native Chinese women instead of a Westerner for a change!

I received an ARC through the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Daughter of Calamity by Rosalie M. Lin is an adult historical fantasy set in Shanghai in the 1930s. Jingwen is a cabaret dancer whose grandmother is the doctor of one of the local gangs. On a night when Jingwen and several of her fellow dancers make a bet about who can attract the richest client, one of the dancer’s lips are stolen right on the dance floor, leading Jingwen to learn more about her own family and city.

Lin’s descriptions of Shanghai make the city feel like a character all its own, from the citizens to the sights and smells to its history and its present. I found a lot of the descriptions to be creative and revealing about Jingwen’s character as well as the person or thing being described. The characters had distinct personalities from Jingwen’s ambitions to Beibei’s arrogance to Bailey’s quiet calculations.

I found it really hard to put this book down several times, especially as more and more of the fantastical elements were slowly revealed and we got glimpses into how the fantastical coexists with the historical Shanghai setting. Jingwen has a voice that I want to read more of and would gladly devour another book following her.

I would recommend this to readers looking for historical fiction with light fantasy elements and readers interested in Shanghai during the Jazz era.