I loved this book. Nghi Vo imagines dark magic in old Hollywood, back when the studios essentially owned their actors. In order to become a star, all the beautiful young people have to be willing to give up everything - including their lives. Hollywood, rather than being run by metaphorical monsters, is literally run by seemingly immortal and very powerful beings, and the consequences of crossing them are dire. I loved the way the fantasy elements were weaved in with what was for the most part a more literary historical fiction. The main character and narrator of the book, Luli Wei, captured my imagination so quickly. As a young girl and child of immigrants, she becomes infatuated with the idea of being in the movies (she gets into acting in a similar way to the Natalie Wood story - an uncredited walk on part). But she's a young woman, a Chinese American, and queer, and when she refuses to play a maid or use a put-on accent, no one in Hollywood knows what to do with her. When she turns out to be much more strong-willed than any of the studio executives expect, they want to bring her down. Her talent and ability to make them money keep her alive - for a while! dun dun dunnnn 

As I read this book I felt so fully immersed in the world of old Hollywood and could vividly imagine the set pieces and people Luli meets. I will be raving about this book and I'm looking forward to reading Nghi Vo's other work.