I haven't loved a vampire book this much in years! I absolutely adore everything about this novel. The non-linear timeline works brilliantly for this book and I adore how it's framed from the perspective of two vampires having a conversation as they fly from Singapore to Rome. The small interruptions of this frame setting added so much to the overall story because you get to know the characters before any of the action happens.
Cheng is a fantastic character and she really does come across believably. Considering she's supposed to be two thousand years old, I felt the author gives her a brilliant blend of youthfulness and age to the voice of this character. She came alive for me and her heartaches and fears truly came to life for me.
Henry offers a great foil for the conversation and provides a nice anchor to the story. Additionally, his presence in the conversation raises many questions that are only answered at the end, which made the story wonderfully intriguing.
I really love Ling's new take on vampires. The way the lore from folktales and myth have been incorporated into this version made it a treat to read. I love the politics and cultural tensions added by having both "True Bloods" (those born as vampires) and "Hybrids" (humans turned into vampires). I also felt the author's historical research felt accurate and added so much because of the unusual Chinese setting.
Lastly, I loved that this is a story about Asian vampires. I've never seen that before and totally love that the author is bringing new ideas from another part of the world into vampire lore.
This novel has strong Interview with the Vampire feels and will definitely appeal to readers who love urban fantasy and stories about vampires that have great worldbuilding and brilliant characters.
