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In Nghi Vo’s fantastical novel Siren Queen, Chinese American aspiring actor Luli Wei navigates the treacherous waters of Old Hollywood. Despite her beauty, talent, and ambition, Luli is relegated to roles where she’s depicted as a maid or, as she prefers, an otherworldly monster. But Luli knows that the dehumanizing roles she plays onscreen are nowhere near as terrifying as the real-life monsters behind the cameras who are running the studios with corrupt bargains powered by manipulation, dark magic, and sacrifice. As Luli determines just how far she’ll go to become a star, Vo creates an absorbing narrative about success and survival. —Cady Lang
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