Book of the Month: September Review of “Siren Queen”

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If you are a fan of old-Hollywood, then this is a must-have for you. The glitz and glamor of the Golden Age of Hollywood with its tragically beautiful starlets has always intrigued me.  Of course this novel would capture my interest as Nghi Vo fused fantasy with reality.  "Siren Queen" is the unique story of an atypical starlet’s journey to fame.  

This fictional story may be filled with blood contracts, inhuman studio heads, girls with tails, and ritual hunts with monsters, but it is no secret that in reality old Hollywood was a strange and terrifying place where fame hungry men and women gave up their autonomy to powerful studios.  This re-imagining of pre-code Hollywood is original, invigorating, and a reminder of the dangers of chasing fame. 

What is Pre-Code Hollywood?

If you are wondering what exactly pre-code Hollywood is, you are not alone.  I'd heard the term before, but didn’t know what it entailed.  I did some research so you wouldn’t have to.  

This era refers exclusively to the period in American cinema that began with the introduction of sound films (1927) and ended with the strict enforcement of the Hays Code (1934).  Before the Motion Picture Production Code was adhered to, filmmakers had virtually free reign of what content to create and showcase.  This meant lots of sex scenes, profanity, drug use, promiscuous actresses, dialogue on abortion, homosexuality, violence, and interracial relationships.  Yeah, pretty much movies today. Most people would not blink at this content now, but at the time many American films were heavily censored or outright banned in theaters across the nation and the world for their salacious content.  

However, these licentious and promiscuous films still brought in the big bucks, so most filmmakers ignored the codes already in place since they were not mandatory until July 1, 1934.  Eventually, the Roman Catholics made enough fuss over the immoral state of Hollywood  and were able to enforce the censorship of American films.  While many stars skyrocketed to immortal fame during this period - like Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Shirley Temple and Bette Davis - we would see this censorship and restriction on creativity in American cinema last until the late 60’s.  Nghi Vo brings us back to that no-holds-barred era in Hollywood to imagine what it was like for people yearning to have their voices heard for the first time on the big screen.       

Summary

"Siren Queen" follows aspiring actress Luli Wei, the daughter of poor Chinese immigrants, who  dodges dangerous obstacles and finds out the price of fame on her way to stardom.   Because this is a fantasy novel, pre-code Hollywood is reimagined in a dark world filled with  magic and villains who are actually monstrous creatures hidden underneath human forms.  This dark magic is portrayed from the start when a seven year old Luli sells an inch of her hair to a mysterious woman at the theater for tickets to the silent Romeo & Juliet film that would kick start her passion for acting.  Shortly after, she gets her first small film appearance that would lead to more background roles throughout her childhood.  Luli’s fiery and tenacious attitude lead her to the gates of Wolfe Studios where she tries to carve out an identity for herself and navigate the ritualistic Friday Night Fires where the monsters come out to feed on aspiring stars like herself.     

Is It Worth It?

Nghi Vo does to "Siren Queen" what Shonda Rhimes does to "Bridgerton."  Since this is Vo’s reimagined, fantasy world of Hollywood, she has made it acceptable to include minority races and gay characters like the protagonist, a Chinese starlet in love with another actress.  Of course, discrimination against these characters is still depicted in the novel.  However, it is refreshing to imagine the diverse side of old Hollywood.  This reimagined world is not far from reality because it’s well known that major stars were secretly queer or bisexual, like Marlon Brando and Clark Gable.  The struggle of minority races is examined as well when Luli tries to defy being typecast as a Chinese actress with roles that always end tragically.  This is similar to the struggle of many black actresses who fought, often unsuccessfully, to get away from stereotypical roles.  There is even a conversation in the novel between Luli and a black actress, Tiny Annie, who is clearly influenced by actress Hattie McDaniel from Gone With the Wind. Vo’s decision to include so many controversial characters is admirable and the best part of the book.      

At first glance, this novel may seem like a fun, laidback read, but it is so much more than that.  It would take at least a couple of reads to catch all of the intricate metaphors and symbols in the novel.  Although Vo has created an intriguing and fantastical world, the problem is that many aspects of this world are unfamiliar to the audience and never explained.  For instance, the ritualistic Friday Night Fires and Halloween Fires seem to be common knowledge among the characters, but it is never explained what they actually are or represent.  That aspect did make it hard to get through certain portions of the novel. However, I did really enjoy Act I which described Luli’s childhood and background until she becomes an actual paid actress.  

Despite the few flaws in the novel, I fell in love with Luli.  She was a relatable character with determination, stubbornness, cleverness, and a willingness to do anything to reach her goals.  Those are inspirational characteristics for any woman.  I would recommend this book for that reason alone, but also for anyone looking for a fantasy novel with diverse characters.

If you like books similar to this selection, then perhaps you would be interested in joining The Feminist Book Club.  By entering the code READMOREWOMEN you can get 15% off your first subscription order from The Feminist Book Club.   They sent me this copy of Siren Queen for this month’s subscription order.  Each month they will send you a new book of feminist literature.  More importantly, a portion of sales from their subscriptions are donated to a different organization each month, such as - Native Women’s Wilderness, Safe BAE, and Rights4Girls.  Click here to check out their blog, sign up for a subscription of tantalizing books, or listen to their podcast!