Review: Foul Lady Fortune

Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong (Foul Lady Fortune #1)
Published: September 2022

“Broken things called to broken things, tried to slot their shards together in the hopes that they would fit.”

It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue. Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption from her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country. Code name: Fortune. But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed. To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

I am rather in love getting to know Rosalind more. She’s a character who blended more into the background in TVD and OVE but in this book, she really shines in her spotlight. Clever, intelligent and snarky, she does her best to survive; honing new deadly skills and utilising them to her best advantage. It was interesting to see just how guarded she was throughout most of the book – not just because of her position as an assassin/spy, but because of her past as part of the infamous Scarlet Gang and what went down with Dimitri. But, when she started to let her guard down, it was so great to see her relax and be a bit more herself. She really settled into her character, always growing and getting better and better.

Oh Orion. What a guy. Despite the struggles he faces, he remains – for the most part – gentle and inquisitive. His dedication to the role as Rosalind’s husband had me feeling weak at the knees and I would like to place an order for my own Orion please. Surely that’s not too much to ask? His protectiveness – over both Rosalind and his sister – his fire, his slightly broody nature? Absolute brilliance. It had me wishing for even more Orion!

We don’t see a massive amount of Celia in this book but what we do get is fabulous. Seeing her grow into herself, away from the pressures of the Scarlet Gang and its rules and appearances, feels so freeing. She’s found herself in a position where she’s happy and content with her life and who she is. But, more importantly, she is accepted and I am so happy for her!

Alisa is still a little spitfire who I absolutely adore. Still sticking her nose into other people’s business and being a busy-body. What a fantastic character she is! I humbly request more Alisa content, please and thank you.

What. A. Book. I absolutely adored getting to jump into Gong’s world once more, this time in the future. Getting to see the difference in Shanghai after the events of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends but with different perspectives was more fantastic than I thought it would be. Gong has a real and true talent for writing and I find myself sucked in and utterly mesmerised by the unfolding stories she creates. The overall plot had me enthralled from start to finish. The characters are – as predicted – amazing and peak your interest from the first introduction. The gorgeous slow burn of romance had me giddy. The thrill of chases and unrelenting danger had me on edge. The trials and tribulations had me oh so eager for more. The callbacks and easter eggs for the previous books were brilliant little surprises that popped up along the way too – but never felt like too much or like they were taking away from Rosalind’s story. The entire book was a joy to read but that ending … MISS GONG, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! And now I have to wait for the sequel to come out?! That’s just not fair at all…

Overall, Foul Lady Fortune is a story that gives you twists and turns before flipping everything you believe entirely on its head.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5