The Girl with Ghost Eyes: The Daoshi Chronicles, Book One

I enjoyed this fantasy novel very much! It was a welcomed change. Sadly, a lot of fantasy novels in the present are super cliché, in contrast, several of Xian Li-lin's actions and reactions surprised me and there was a nice twist with the main antagonist at the end.It was a great decision to set a fantasy novel in an actual historical time (San Francisco in the XIX century). It's clear that the author has researched the topic but I didn't felt there were long exposition parts about the era, they were only mentioned as the plot unveiled. I specially enjoyed seeing the Chinese Exclusion Act, something I have learnt about only recently, chinese workers in mines or contract practices like enganche as we called it in Spanish.Another point I liked is that language interference was actually shown. I'm glad the author included it but didn't put it everywhere (Li-Lin speaks English most of the time) because, when I remember the way some British authors include cockney speech in novels, my head hurts. There were words used instead of the one from the collocation, false friends, inversed word order, using words in Chinese, pronouncing R as L, etc. One scene about language that I particularly liked, it's when Li-Lin uses the stereotype of chinese immigrant in her favor and pretends that she doesn't understand English. I like it because it shows that, as damaging as stereotypes can be, they can be turned too. Also, because I have actually live it while travelling abroad, if I don't talk people think I'm japanese or chinese, usually perceived as tourists with money, not as a possible drug dealer/illegal alien/terrorist.I also liked that the plot shows some of the conflicts abd contacts between the new and old ways, mainstream culture and immigrant cultures and how old conflicts can be revived and transplanted into a new place. Even if the novel is set mostly in Chinatown and we don't see the rest of San Francisco, it isn't true communities have fixed boundaries. This is sadly shown in the misunderstanding that caused Rocket's death.I think the success of the novel really rest in Li-Lin. How many novel's protagonist are young, immigrant widows? It was certainly the first one that I have read. Li-Lin is well rounded and complex, she may have some characteristics that make the other see her as weak like her gender, her condition as widow, her Order but she finds her strenght by determination. Not all her plans succeeds, she makes mistakes, she is prejudiced at times but she tries to do good, even if that means a conflict with duty and familial love or if, in the end, no one will thank you.One thing I would have liked to see is Li-Lin change, I didn't feel she learnt much at the end but, if there is a sequel, I would like to see the idea that "a monster who isn't a monster" explored. Also, I loved the parallel Chinatown that travels from country to country. Global adventures, please! More buddist monk (I won't ruin the twist but it was amazing!) Also, I had some problems understanding the middle of the novel: some fights/action scenes were difficult to follow. As interesting that was to learn about monsters and Daoism, at moments, the collection of spiritis, monster, religious beliefs, etc. was overwhelming. Also the beginning is a bit slow but then it catches up.On a personal note, I identify with Li-lin relationship with her father. Even if my relationship with my father is more similar to Bok Choy with his daughter, the concept of family, having no authority over your father but urging him to take care of himself, trying to make him proud but doubting it every moment, father slipping into teacher mode felt real.I strongly recommend reading the Author's Note. Besides learning what elements present in the book are historically accurate or only history-inspired (it turns out most of chinese immigrants in San Francisco were from Cantón too!), the author expresses a respectful attitude and promotes learning about others. He actually mentions his research and the fact that he interviewed chinese immigrants about their experience.I'm reading this novel as part of my Diversity Reading Challenge and I agree with several of the points of the diversity in media, I think authors that aren't, in this case, chinese or chinese descendants can write books about another culture if they research and do it with respect. I don't think writing about another culture automatically means cultural appropiation. Also, the author seems to have a complex and complete view of culture: cultures aren't fixed or closed (I studied Social Sciences once). Personally, I don't like many of the labels that are used in the US, I have problems with POC, the race ones and I don't like when identity is reduced to a label or yuxtaposition of labels. I'm a firm believer that identity is a construction and a story at the end and that it's form in interaction. I felt this belief was reflected in the book

There’s something exciting about reading a book that draws on traditions you’re unfamiliar with, and that goes double when you’re dealing with supernatural forces and old folklore. Telling a story about feuding gangs with supernatural trappings set in the 1800’s is a good hook, but M.H. Boroson’s The Girl with the Ghost Eyes goes further by diving into Chinese folklore, spiritual warfare, and ancient traditions, telling a story that doesn’t feel like anything else I’ve read. And though the book’s writing isn’t the best, the propulsive story, fascinating cosmology, and great characters all make for a great read well worth your time.Trying to explain the plot is difficult; there’s a lot going on here, even before you dive into the complexity of the cultural traditions being explored. Suffice to say that it’s the story of Xian Li-lin, the only child of a prominent Daoshi exorcist (a man who seems constantly disappointed at the fact that he’s left with only a female child behind). Li-lin is not only in training to succeed her father, however; she has yin eyes, which allow her to see the spirit world around her. Li-lin finds herself being used as part of a plot to get to her father, but the question is, why? Is it a power play by a rival tong? A threat from a malevolent entity? Or something far greater and more dangerous?The Girl with Ghost Eyes follows Li-lin as she dives into the spirit realm, fights dangerous bodyguards, grapples with ancient incantations, and tries her best to save her father and understand what’s going on. In many ways, it’s pure noir; from the shadowy alleyways of Chinatown to the numerous characters on all sides of the moral spectrum, from the dangerous world of Chinese tongs to a struggle for power, M.H. Boroson plays it all with a heavy (and well-used) glaze of noir toppings.But in the end, The Girl with Ghost Eyes is most memorable and exciting for the richness of the culture it evokes, and the astonishing visions we get along the way. Back alley marketplaces of demons and spirits. Midnight parades of unimaginable beings. Dark spells carved into skin. Passports that assist in moving beyond the ghost realm. Ancient incantations based on conceptions of death far outside of the Western mentality. An emphasis on saving face, on honor, on gender roles, on ancestry. The Girl with Ghost Eyes doesn’t just slap on a few ethnic ideas and assume that’s good; instead, it immerses you in its well-researched and understood world, bringing it to life on every page, every social interaction, every question of motivation. From the necessary spells to the conflicts between rivals, from family histories to job titles, Boroson brings the era to life phenomenally, giving us a way to experience a mythology and heritage far outside what most of us ever get to.The Girl with Ghost Eyes isn’t flawless at all; the writing, while never bad at all, often feels functional at best, and occasionally can get a bit too heavy into “telling” instead of “showing”. And yes, that complicated plot sometimes gets to be a bit too much; there are times where it feels like the book isn’t just this one story, but every other idea Boroson had thrown into the background. By and large, though, the book works, keeping you completely hooked into its compelling world and incredibly fleshed out mythology, and investing you in the fate of a young woman who’s desperate to prove herself in the face of every obstacle. It’s a compelling, fascinating story, one whose world and characters are so good that it overcomes the small, forgivable flaws along the way. Here’s hoping there’s more books in this world to come, and a lot more of Li-lin's story for me to enjoy.

In book 1 of this beautifully written urban fantasyOur Heroine li-lin is the daughter of a very powerful Daoshi exercist in early 1900's San Francisco Chinatown. When her father is incapacitated she must battle forces much more powerful than her to save China town from being destroyed by an unstoppable monster while also battling social stigmas sexual discrimination and repression. This book is non stop action full of magic and mythology.

This tale is set in a world many will find strange: where Face is more important than life and Honour is more important than kin; where women have little use and a man with only daughters has no children.I loved it. The only problem is that as it is a first novel, I have no idea when the next one is coming.

Wow.I just loved this book.It was so well-researched and embedded with culture from many sources. So, first of all, hats off to the amazing work that must have gone into crafting such a well put together story while respecting the culture whence it came.The story's gist, while not revolutionary, brought a few new twists and kicks to the "character can see human world and spirit world" that I'm used to, which was greatly appreciated. The characters themselves were wonderful. So fully-formed and flawed, but real and representative of the culture and time period. Although I admit Mao'er and Shuai Hu were my favorites Xian did not fail to deliver an amazing heroine who was soft and hard all at once.My one dislike was the overall pacing of the story and especially the climax. At times it felt just a wee bit dragged out with cultural details to prove the author knew what he was saying via the characters, or that the resolution to a scene was just a few beats late in the grand rhythm of it all. Still, not enough for me to give GwGE anything less than a full 5 stars.

I loved this book. Filled with struggles with monsters, kungfu fights and sorcery this book is a fun, exhilarating read with startlingly vivid imagery and some very beautiful writing

It's hard to express just how much I I enjoyed this book. While I love the concept of urban fantasy, I find that too much of it can be cliched and lazy. The Girl With Ghost Eyes is never either of these of those. You can tell that the writer has done huge amounts of research. Detail drips from the pages, but never slows down the action. The magic is convincing and varied and the monsters creepy, fantastic and absolutely unlike any I had encountered before. Li-Lin the main character is sympathetic, tough and resolutely three dimensional. If you like your urban fantasy rich with magic and monsters and a propulsive action packed story that also allows for ample character development then this book has all that and more. My highest recommendation.

Now and then, if you're lucky, you come across a book that feels like it was written just for you. And for me this was one of those.I love historical kung fu movies like Once Upon a Time in China or Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon - all the better if they have a feisty female hero and this book is certainly filled with echoes of those but at the same time, deeper and wilder.The story starts in Chinatown, San Francisco in the closing years of the 19th century. Li-lin a young widow and trainee exorcist is attacked by bad hats as a ruse to get at her more powerful exorcist father thus preventing him from preventing them from unleashing Big Trouble in Chinatown. She swears vengeance. They are bigger and stronger than her and completely ruthless And the tension, the story, the surprises and the weirdness ratchet up and up and up.There's a huge depth of research in this book - folklore, religion, magic, the lifestyles of the immigrant Chinese but it is fast-paced, hugely gripping, emotionally sensitive and sometimes very funny.It's described as the first in a series. Mr Boroson, please don't make us wait too long for the second one....