REVIEW: “The Girl with a Thousand Faces”
, pub. , pp
This book takes place within the walled city of Kowloon in post WWII Chine; a city where the ghosts of its inhabitants still reside and many of which hold a grudge toward the living. The story is backed by history, but jam packed with the supernatural, treachery, and heroism.
The protagonist is an exorcist for the local Triad which acts more like a police force or governing body than a crime syndicate. Things go south when outside influences try manipulating local laws and customs. As our hero this treachery, we’re brought back to a point in her life where her memories begin. Is she indirectly the cause?
I’m not usually into stories with excessive flashbacks, but this author stitches time flawlessly. She sets things up in one time period while the pay-off looms just pages away, or sometimes chapters. I found myself really wanting to know how her past has shaped the present condition in the ghost city.
The book is loaded with ghosts, demons, corrupt officials, and a massive white cat that often serves as the protagonist’s body guard. It’s a quick read with excellent pacing, has a plot that keeps driving forward, and offers quite a bit of historical reference that seems to make this supernatural thriller somewhat believable.
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