Silver and Smoke¹ by Van Hoang, eBook, 381 pages
Synopsis from GoodReads: It’s the golden age of Hollywood. For two Vietnamese dreamers, success means conjuring a magical break in a spellbinding novel about the frightening price of fame by the author of The Monstrous Misses Mai. More like sisters than best friends, Issa Bui and Olivia Nong grew up dreaming of becoming movie stars. But for young Vietnamese women in 1930s Hollywood, the MGM back lot seems unreachable. Undeterred, Issa knows she’s meant for great things. The blood of shamans runs through her veins. To find fame in this town, for herself and for Olivia, Issa needs to make connections. For starters, with her dead grandmother Bà Ngoại. Frightening enough in life—Issa’s own mother forbade any contact—Bà Ngoại is even more intimidating in death. A formidable presence of smoke, promises, and pacts, Bà Ngoại introduces Issa and Olivia to her friend on the other side the late Ava Lin Rang, a singularly magnetic Asian star of the silent screen. Ava coaches, encourages, and utilizes her own unique influence to open doors for her determined protégés. As Issa begins drawing on her own untapped powers, every dream is coming true. But in a city of illusions, at what cost?
BOOK REVIEW: Have you ever had that best friend that you always talked about growing up, getting a job at the same place, going to the same school, living together, getting married to brothers and living next door to each other so you could be neighbors and sisters? Have you ever felt taken advantage of that same friend? Like you bent over backwards to make sure that they succeeded even if it meant your needs took a back seat? Yeah me too! That's a little bit of the vibe that I was getting from Olivia and Issa. Issa was the kind-hearted being walked all over because she believed that her friend was prettier and more deserving. You definitely get the old Hollywood feel in this story. The way women were treated and the way these Asian women were treated. Issa overhears a conversation at one point that hurt my feelings as a woman but I can't imagine the hurt she was experiencing. It wasn't talk about her body but something completely out of her control...the shape of her eyes. Not me wanting to walk over to that make and give him a fork in the eye for that one but that's the reality of what it was like then. I love all the research that the author put in to create as accurate of a portrayal of the time as she could. I give this story a 4.5 star rating for two reasons. I felt like the story was moving really slow for the first half even though it was holding my attention. On the flip side of that, I was at the 85% mark and there seemed to be a lot of the story left because one of the things that Issa was struggling to accept really hadn't been addressed and I started wondering if this was going to have a sequel and then it all got wrapped up a little too quickly. It's enough to not be a 5 star but not enough for me to rate it on any website as a 4 star. I also really love the cover and want a copy to put on my shelf!
4.5/5 Stars
2025 Reading Challenge: 10/50 complete ¹This is an affiliate link through Bookshop.org which supports independent bookstores nationwide. Pick from a local to you bookshop or order the book you want and it will be sent from the nearest bookstore to you that has it in stock!
Comments