A magical, metropolitan city shines brightly but look long enough and the ugly underbelly is just below the surface. Political unrest and revolution are thick in the air and the arrival of a rebellious young revolutionary will unwittingly set the city on a path it cannot turn from.

Will our star-crossed lovers be able to find peace in the riotous revolution gripping Shanghai as outside forces and forces from within war for the soul of the city?

Review of Chloe Gong’s debut novel