Overall, I liked this a lot more than I thought I would and I'm hopeful for the next book for sure. Sadly though it just didn’t blow me away. Perhaps it was the relationship development that let this one down, It was a bit too cliche and relied too heavily on tropes to do the work instead of the writing fleshing the relationship out.

thank you so much to NetGalley, and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

brilliant book! the premise is there and is insanely good. loved the fact this was set in the same universe as gong’s previous work with some things that previous readers will be able to see and associate with. i fell in love with rosalind and her character development from these violent delights up until now! orion had me swooning from the very beginning. the world building is phenomenal and i like the fact it is a shakespeare retelling of a play that never really gets recognition (as you like it.) I cannot wait for the sequel! i’m already counting down the days!

As a fan of the These Violent Delights duology, my expectations for this book were high, and they were met! I loved that we got a book where Rosalind could have more time to shine, and I loved the engaging writing and intricately crafted plot. This book would be loved by those who loved the TVD duology, and I would definitely reccomend. 5 stars!

DNF 20% - i would recommend this, 100%, but it is not for me.
Let me be absolutely clear: This is a good book, with good writing and a plot that I'm sure will satisfy a lot of people, especially when you've liked the first two books by the author.
I actually read the previous two books, just to get the proper feeling for it and I do feel like that's a better option, it gave me a proper idea of Rosalin and Celia, the city etc.

The reason I'm DNFing is because I had to power through the first two books despite not connecting with the writing, and by the time I was reading Foul Lady Fortune, I saw a pattern with the plot that I just couldn't go with.

I want to be honest about a few things:
- The politics in this book are complex, well researched and fascinating, however, it muddles with the plot, making it feel confusing and uncertain. 20% in and I have no real understanding of the plot or the point.
- I loved certain aspects of it but they were glossed over: rose's transformation was a major reason why I wanted to read this, but then it was sort of glossed over with a quick "she was injected" when at the end of the previous book she was injured but it felt like Celia was the one at death's door.
- Celia's plotline felt off and unfurnished which is a shame because she is sincerely my favorite character of the three books.
- I liked the fake wedding, enemies to lover plotline that seemed to materialize, but everytime I felt interested by it, the heavy political plotline crashed on.

The thing is, I know it's mostly me who doesn't like this kind of plotline, but the issue is that the style so far has taught me that there is little reward for the tension built up and that's such a shame because the writing is really good (if a little heavy, the author is clearly a talented writer but is a bit heavy handed with the metaphors. There are instances where the description is a lot for something trivial and it just makes reading a bit heavy)
- I never felt like there was a proper reason to things, and I wouldn't know how to describe the plot other than : immortal assassin has a fake mariage while she investigates things.
- The injection plotline felt a bit cheap and like it called on to the same patterns as the previous books: there's a threat terrorizing the people of shanghai and it has a political motive involving the communists, the nationalists and a foreign power, and a couple that hates it each other has to investigate but end up loving each other. And my issue with that is that I could use that descriptive for Foul Lady Fortune and the two previous books, and that's not good.

I really couldn't pick it back up and it felt like a chore. Again, it's a good book, despite what I think personally, it just has a very specific target audience I think and unfortunately I find myself outside of it.

As alway, Chloe Gong doesn't fail to deliver! I had heard a lot of fantastic things about this book from other reviewers so I just knew I had to read it myself and boy, it was fab!

Everything from the mystery elements to the intricate setting in Shanghai to the action and character development has me hooked.

If you loved Chloe's other books, you're onto a winner with this one!

As a huge fan of Chloe's first two books, I was highly anticipating Foul Lady Fortune. I was not disappointed at all. Rosalind is such an interesting character, and the whole story just pulled me in from start to finish. Cannot wait for my pretty Waterstones Edition to arrive!

My first Chloe Gong book did not disappoint!
Was initially unsure on reading this one as I normally don’t read ‘historical’ books set in the past, however really enjoyed it.
Characters were likely and the storyline was good!

4.5 stars
The first in a new spin-off Duology, Chloe Gong’s Foul Lady Fortune—set years after the events of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends—masterfully weaves romance, political intrigue and block buster worthy action scenes that had me on the edge of my seat.

Set in 1930s Shanghai, it follows former showgirl turned assassin, Rosalind Lang who, after life a saving procedure, cannot die. Working for the nationalist’s covert branch, Rosalind must work with playboy spy, Orion Hong on an undercover mission. A mission which requires them to pose as a married couple.

There were plenty of familiar (and new) characters and though this is the start of a new duology, I do think you’d get the most enjoyment from reading Chloe Gong’s previous duology (These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends), especially as Foul Lady Fortune does reference some of the events from that series, so if you don’t want spoilers definitely check those out first.

I absolutely loved returning the Gong’s Shanghai and exploring the evocative, and action packed plot that merges historical events with an intriguing noir style mystery and supernatural elements that allow us to examine the imperialism, nationalism and cultural generational trauma through the lense of soo many well developed,complex characters—all of whom had conflicting motives and allegiances. Chloe Gong is a master at crafted such endearing and believable characters that I genuinely couldn’t pick a favourite.

I loved getting to see Rosalind again as her arc in Our Violent Delights did pint her as a bit of a villain but getting to see her thoughts and opinions, to understand how her part in the events came to be was incredibly eye-opening. Having very much disliked her previously, I found myself genuinely loving her as a protagonist.

This is a noir style spy novel so everyone keeps their cards close to their chests and, with several mysteries to unravel and allegiances to confirm you definitely find a lot of heart poundingly suspenseful moments. I loved how effortlessly we switch from Rosalind’s and Orion’s POV to Celia and Oliver (Rosalind and Orion’s Communist operative siblings’) POV which really heightened the tangled emotional web of familial bonds, loyalty and the conflict of duty when it came to their political allegiances.

I also loved the similarities in both Rosalind and Orion’s in terms of upbringing. Both starved of affection from their parents, for Rosalind growing up in a family were hierarchy and position was everything and where she’s always on the outskirts—not important enough to curry favour nor beloved enough to garner any affection. Orion, likewise is trying to hold his family together after both his mum and brother left, with the desperate hope that they could someday go back to the picture perfect family they once were—but it’s only as they grow closer together that Rosalind and Orion realise that, in order to succeed with their mission they must let go of the past entirely and focus solely on the future.

I loved getting to see Celia (formerly Kathleen) again and I loved that she finally gets to use her true name. Her working partnership with Oliver Hong was amazing and the chemistry between the pair was utterly palpable, I loved every tense second of it! Likewise, Rosalind and Orion’s attraction and slow burn romance was equally amd tantalising and at times utterly hilarious, and I genuinely need both couples to find happiness at the end of all this, I don’t think my heart could survive if something happens to them.

I can’t say too much about the plot for fear of spoiling it but, with all the deliciously unexpected twists and turns Chloe Gong throws our way, I can in total honesty say I cannot wait to see where this intoxicating, YA fantasy reimagining of As You Like it takes us next.

If you’re a fan of high stakes espionage, endearingly complex (and morally grey) characters or exhilarating plot twists that will keep you on your toes, I highly recommend checking this out.

Also, a huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley of the e-arc.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I'll admit that I wasn't completely sold on These Violent Delights having struggled with the last third of the book to really finish it and yet I took a chance with Foul Lady Fortune initially because a) the blurb sounded really intriguing... hello, SPIES??? and b) i still do dig the setting and world building of these books, therefore I thought I'd give Chloe Gong another chance. I actually requested this before realizing that this was a part of the same universe, (I think a sequel?) though I do confess I've not read Our Violent Ends.

In that respect you should probably be aware that there will be spoilers for Our Violent Ends within this book, so if you haven't yet read the former duology and don't wish to spoil yourself, make sure you take the time to read that first! I didn't personally mind though, as I really really enjoyed this one, and I don't think I really lost much of the context through not reading Our Violent Ends because it was kind of its own self-contained story for the most part, with a few returning characters.

The story is told from dual points of view, our protagonists that of Lady Fortune, aka "Janie" aka Rosalind (who if you have read These Violent Delights, you may well be aquainted with already), and Orion aka Hong Liwen. I feel like Rosalind REALLY shone in this book and proved herself as a fascinating character, with some surefire development from the girl we knew from the previous books. I also fell in love with Orion too, who fast became one of my newest fictional crushes. His cheeky playboy disposition made me swoon but I loved how he sincerely loved those he cared for and would do anything for them in a heartbeat. The chemistry between the two was just PERFECT, and it just flowed beautifully with every interaction. I'll be honest, I love a good slow-burn romance so this was just a delight for me.

There were a few other characters here who if you've read the previous books you might well remember; Celia (Rosalind's sister turned Communist spy, previously known as Kathleen), as well as Roma's little sister Alisa (who is now a badass spy herself). We also have some new "faces" too; Oliver and Phoebe, Orion's siblings who were also a delightful pair with their own respective little romances.

Overall, the story was intriguing, with some very entertaining parts, and I loved the whole "republican spy" setting, which is not normally something I would reach for to read. I'm really looking forward to reading the next instalment in this series, which cannot come soon enough!!

I will definitely recommend this, and perhaps it will be a pleasantly surprise even for those that were disappointed in the previous books!

Dnf @ around 50%. I usually never dnf arcs, I give my best to always push to the end so I can have a conclusive opinion but with this one, I simply didn't manage that.

The book starts out confusing right away, and keeps introducing more and more characters as you go. I found it very hard to keep track of especially since there were real names and cover names to remember. I also lost the plot at around 10%, and never got back into it again. I didn't understand why the characters were doing what they did, what the purpose of their missions was or who worked for which side. It was a lot to keep track of with very little info given to the reader and at a certain point I just stopped paying attention.

It didn't help that the prose was very heavy, very pretentious and filled with metaphors that either didn't make sense or just weren't needed. This was something I already noted with Gong's previous books and sadly it didn't improve here.

Overall I sadly gave up on this one but I know I wouldn't have liked it anyway. It's simply not for me I guess.

Foul Lady Fortune confirmed to me that I will automatically enjoy anything Chloe Gong writes. I had so little interest with continuing in this world - her previous duology felt like it had been wrapped up satisfactorily - and I wasn't particularly drawn to reading a book about Rosalind. And yet I enjoyed it!

1930s Shanghai was wonderful, as always. The details re: imperialism, multiculturalism, and the general politics of the city paint such a vibrant picture, and the added bonus of undercover noir spy work was such a joy! .

I'm really not sure how to review a book by Chloe Gong because I always feel like every element is great and fun. The only reason I don't give her books 5 stars is because 5 is reserved for books that alter something in me fundamentally or feel like they've touched my soul or some sentimental silly thing like that. But for hands down fun (world-building, characters, love story, twist) then Chloe Gong is basically a 5 star.

The writing in this book was absolutely phenomenal. I loved it so much, the romance, the mystery, the historical setting, the twists. I didn't guess anything about the ending which is amazing and I love it when that happens.

I will jump straight in and say 5 stars. I could not put this book down, i read it over 2 nights it is most definitely a page turner. Can highly recommend. Edge of your seat book. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review it and to Chloe Gong for writing such a fabulous book. I love Rosalind.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I have been ridiculously excited for this release so you can imagine my palpable excitement when I was approved for an ARC!

First of all, this definitely has the same air and tone as the These Violent Delights duet. But it felt completely different, too. I could picture the streets and the people just how I did when I read the original duet, but the new characters gave a new energy that was definitely refreshing and revitalised the story.

Chloe Gong’s writing style is still stunning— I always love her descriptions, especially of Shanghai. It’s so vivid and alive. It’s poetic but concise. I can’t fault it. Although the beginning was slow, but intriguing nonetheless. It did take me a while to get into my stride reading it, especially with all of the political talk. The conversations surrounding imperialism and colonisation are still very much present from the previous books, which i really enjoyed— I love the way Chloe Gong writes this aspect with such poignancy.

The political aspect, too, is carried on into this book from the previous duet: focusing mostly on the Nationalists vs the Communists alongside the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. I can’t lie and say it doesn’t go over my head, for the most part. I never understood it before and i probably won’t in the future. So, bear that in mind if you didn’t really enjoy the political aspects before! I can appreciate Gong’s attention to detail and dedication to her research, it’s just not something I fully understand. I struggle to follow along.

Orion’s introduction was the best part about the beginning, honestly, I feel like it set up his character well and left you wanting to know more. The rest of the side characters, too, instantly captivated me... I may have been more invested in them than Rosalind. Who, in turn, took me a while to warm up to. But Rosalind really grew on me— it was slow and steady, and it did have its setbacks, but i eventually fell in love with her. She’s prickly and cold, wading through her guilt and grief, but once I got past her facade, I was rooting so hard for her.

While the opposite happened with Orion. The more I discovered, the less I truly liked. He felt more like a caricature of the flimsy playboy type without any depth— and I know Gong’s intent was to show you who he is beneath the surface. But I found what was beneath the surface to be sorely lacking. He didn’t seem to take much seriously despite his insistence that he does. I really thought it would be Rosalind I would struggle with, so I’m shocked that it was Orion.

However, it was the side characters that stole the show for me honestly— Celia, Oliver, Phoebe, Silas and Alisa were captivating. All of the dynamics were fun too! Silas and Orion, Celia and Oliver, Phoebe and Silas, Rosalind and Alisa... my least favourite was actually Orion and Rosalind, unfortunately. I didn’t really feel... anything for them. I just don’t think they had any chemistry. They had occasional bursts of banter but beyond that? Kind of bland.

Their first interaction was funny, I enjoyed their banter. They started off strong, but they lost that intense, snarky momentum pretty quickly. It seemed to just fizzle out. It didn’t seem as deep as Gong was trying to portray it to be— they had some lovely, heartfelt moments but I couldn’t fully immerse myself in the emotional push behind these moments because their connection prior to this wasn’t set up all that well. The progression of their relationship really was an odd one for me. I was trying so hard to get behind them, but I struggled a lot.

The last 20% was the best part— it was fast-paced, intense, full of revelations. But did it make up for the rest of the book? I’m not so sure. The revelations in the final chapter and then the epilogue actually made my jaw drop. Chloe Gong nailed it. But... again, the build-up was so slow that I can’t give this four stars. The side characters and the plot twists made me want to bump this up but in reality this wasn’t a four star read for me.

Overall, I liked this and I'm still hopeful for the next book! It just didn’t blow me away, unfortunately. I think the relationship development let this one down, it was a bit too cliche and relied too heavily on tropes to do the work instead of the writing itself fleshing the relationship out.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!!

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

As someone who enjoyed the These Violent Delights duology, I was eager to catch up with familiar characters in Foul Lady Fortune. It also was fantastic to read from the point of view of those who weren't central to the storyline of TVD and uncover a new mystery happening in the height of unease in 1930s Shanghai.

The pacing is wonderful. My biggest gripe (if you can call it one) was that These Violent Delights was quite a slow slog at times, and when I saw how chunky this novel was, I was a little worried if this would have similar pacing. I consumed Foul Lady Fortune within 24 hours, and feel that the balance was perfect - it wasn't fast enough to lose any of Chloe Gong's intricate detailing skills, but not slow that it felt tough to navigate at lull moments.

Both Rosalind and Orion are in-depth main characters that offer a lot in the way of character growth and mystery. Whilst we learn a lot about them both within the book and see their personalities and connections with others evolve, I still feel there is more to learn going into the sequel.

The supporting characters didn't just propel the plot along, they added much-needed diversity and interest. I liked trying to guess what their roles will be throughout Foul Lady Fortune, and wasn't let down in the slightest.

The new element of supernatural humans - such as Rosalind's healing capabilities - felt fresh. Although in the previous books of this world there were supernatural elements, I feel like the approach to Foul Lady Fortune tied in well with the time period for scientific discovery and experiments, along with keeping genuine to the world the author has already established. It didn't feel farfetched at all - if anything, I found it more interesting than the monsters of the first two books. The chemical killing mystery was a nice touch to assist in aiding the scientific aspect of the book and kept the intrigue alive well into its final pages.

Chloe Gong is no stranger to adding her interpretation of historical events to her books and I appreciated the continued weaving of the unrest from Japanese imperialism, and the Communist vs Nationalist conflict within China at the time. At no point did this feel like a textbook or a history lesson, but for those who have an interest in the era (I'm a trained historian who has studied Chinese History), I was pleased with the details added in.

The final revelations were executed seamlessly, and I enjoyed the surprise of some that I hadn't guessed. I'm eager to delve further into Rosalind and Orion's journey and how Shanghai will fear now that the chemical killings have achieved dangerous results. Chloe Gong has become an auto-buy author for sure.

A fantastic book. Chloe Gong has done it again. Not only did the title, synopsis and cover have me immediately drawn in, but the characters, oh woah, were the true driving force behind this novel. They were crafted so well, and I really feel as though I had been on a journey with them by the end of the book.

I cannot wait to re read this in the future and buy a phsycial copy of it.

I loved this book!

Foul Lady Fortune was an excellent start to the new duology. I fell in love with Chloe Gong’s writing style, and the way she described everything, including settings, characters, or emotions.

The world-building was cleverly done, as the book did a great job of avoiding dumping too much info onto the reader without making you feel completely in the dark about things.

Seeing the relationship between Orion and Rosalind unfold was very fun and enjoyable to watch as well.
I will certainly be looking out for the sequel to this series!

Thank You NetGalley for the eARC!

Foul Lady Fortune (FLF) tells Rosalind's story in coming to terms with finding her place in the city she shattered, spinning off Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and historical events happening in Shanghai in the 1920s and 30s. Gong creates a figure that is open in the mental issues and emotions debates Rosalind possesses creating a realistic protagonist. If you find yourself not liking Rosalind after TVD and TVE, prepare to fall in love with the agent Fortune, yourself.

Gong intertwines her narrative with historical events on Shanghai, causing her characters to have motives and actions that are believable, and really masters her story retelling. Despite being fiction, the added realism almost makes you forget the fantasy elements.

Gong has perfected the emotional balance in this book, making you happy with the humour at play, sad at the tragedy between characters (romance, familial, etc) and the well written action will leave you reading exponentially faster.

The final few chapters, mixed with the epilogue have left me truly baffled, knowing I will have to wait a year until I can get the second half of FLF and see Rosalind to her end. However, all credit to the author, Chloe Gong, in creating the most amazing spy protagonist I have ever read. I shall see you soon, Foul Lady Fortune.

Chloe Gong does it again with a stellar, engaging plot.

This book follows Rosalind and Celia after the events in Our Violent Ends. Rosalind is now an assassin, known as Lasy Fortune and Celia is a spy for the Communists, both working with brothers, Orion and Oliver respectively.

Their two missions inexplicably come together with twists and turns that will have you guessing all the way until the end.

I can't wait for the next book and I have a theory on who the mysterious J.M is who makes a literary appearance in the end of the book in the form of a letter. I hope I'm right!

Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC pf this book in exchange for my honest review.

I initially had a lot of doubt about this book, because for me the These Violent Delights duology was perfect the way it is. Additionally, I don't like Rosalind that much either. But Chloe Gong has proved herself once again to be a strong YA fantasy author.

Foul Lady Fortune follows Rosalind, Celia, Alisa alongside a new cast of characters two years after the events of the original duology. Shanghai is on the brink of war between the Nationalists and the Communists while foreign interventions only deepened the crisis in the country. Codenamed Fortune, Rosalind offered her immortality and talent with poison to the Nationalists' service, until she found herself in a fake marriage with a fellow agent, Orion Hong.

As any other Chloe Gong's book, it took me a while to get into the story due to the exposition. However, any reader who has read the duology can remark how Gong's writing has improved. The worldbuilding and the context of the plot are explained clearly without any important info dump. Overall the prose reads a lot more fluid than her previous books.
Unfortunately, I must say that I did not care that much for these characters, some of whom I loved so deeply in the duology. Rosalind's and Orion's relationship was very bland for my taste, despite the fact that theorically I am bound to love it (like two spies in an arranged marriage, nothing gets better than this). For me there was a severe lack of chemistry despite some really good banter. The same can be said with Oliver and Celia. The only person I truly cared about was the sweet old lady in the building, I couldn't be bother for the rest.

But my biggest problem with this book was the plot itself. Chloe Gong uses a familar structure of building things up for a very long time then dropping her first plot twist around 80% of the book then the rest just after, and it worked in These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends, but I dislike it in this book. When the mystery was revealed, it's an understatement to say that I was shocked. It almost came out of nowhere and for me it's ridiculous. The one in the epilogue is not that good either, due to the consistency with the characterization throughout the book. Overall, I am disappointed with the plot of this book.

To sum up, this was not the masterpiece I thought it would be. I went through a roller coaster of reactions throughout this book. It's hard to say what I really feel about this book as a whole since I was both pleasantly surprised and absolutely flabbergasted. I am nevertheless excited for the sequel since I know shit is about to go down.