The Girl with No Face

August 26, 2019
Boroson’s second Daoshi historical fantasy (after The Girl with Ghost Eyes) again brings Chinese folklore vibrantly to life. Young Daoist priestess and martial artist Xian Li-lin, working as a bodyguard and priestess for a tong in late-19th-century San Francisco, takes on the job of discovering the person who killed a young girl by means of a vampire plant. Her search leads her to Xu Shengdian, a gambler who attempts to enslave her with a love spell. After defeating him and escaping, Li-lin seeks out her father, Xian Zhengying, a Daoist priest of the highest level, to remove the curse. Together with Shuai Hu, a three-tailed tiger living as a Buddhist monk, they journey on a spirit railway to thwart the plans of the Ghost Magistrate, Xu Shengdian’s ancestor, who is scheming to become the local Earth God. Boroson endows Li-lin with courage and quick wit along with her magical and martial skills, allowing her to triumph over formidable enemies. Elements of Chinese culture are integrated naturally into the story, and the imagery can be breathtaking. Readers will be delighted that this exhilarating chronicle ends with the promise of more adventures in store for Li-lin and her allies. Agent: Sandy Lu, L. Perkins Agency.

Starred review from October 7, 2019

This urban fantasy set in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1898 features a vampire tree, fire-breathing dragons, and other fearsome monsters. Xian Li-lin, the heroine, is a Daoshi (priestess) with a fourth ordination, who has dedicated her life to saving souls, especially those of women treated badly. Her estranged father is a Daoshi of the seventh ordination (the highest level). During the struggle to save two girls' souls and lives, the unlikely pair come together to fight the seeds of the vampire tree that is making inroads in the San Francisco area, both on Earth and in the parallel spirit world.

VERDICT Fans of urban fantasy, Chinese martial arts, magic, and elements of the supernatural will enjoy this second series installment, which captivates readers from the opening pages. The many characters, both human and animal, may at first confuse those unfamiliar with the first book, but the author introduces and develops each of their personalities skillfully so that there is soon no difficulty. A true page-turner not to be missed.--Vicki Gregory, Sch. of Information, Univ. of South Florida, Tampa

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2019
In the second book of the Daoshi Chronicles (after The Girl with the Ghost Eyes, 2015), Boroson returns to 1893 Chinatown, where the Tongs are battling for territory, money, and even spiritual supremacy. The Daoshi protectors guide the souls of the dead from the world of living to the ghost realm. The young priestess Li-Lin helps the Xie Liang Tong do this, while her father Xian Zhengying of the Ansheng Tong unwittingly assists in the investiture of a new Ghost Magistrate for the district. Li-Lin must solve the mysterious death of a young girl killed by the seed of an ancient Vampire Tree and stop this new Ghost Magistrate, who is using the drawing of a faceless girl to steal the soul of a rival's daughter. The book starts slowly, with a somber tone, though the pace quickens when Li-Lin begins her investigation. New characters are introduced in every other chapter, each one as likable as the last. Readers wanting to fully understand the relationship between Li-Lin and her father will want to start this series at the beginning.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)