The Girl with a Thousand Faces

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published by Tor.

ISBN:: 978-1-250-81021-2

(1 review)

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Book Eaters comes The Girl with a Thousand Faces, a stunning Gothic tale set in a historical Hong Kong that meshes ancient myths and local legends into a haunting story of ghosts, grief, and women who will not forgive.

When Mercy Chan washes up on the shores of Hong Kong with no family, no money, and no memories, the only refuge she finds is the infamous, ghost-infested slum of Kowloon Walled City. Since then, she has rebuilt her life, working for the local triad as a ghost talker and dealing with the angry and bitter spirits who haunt the district. The filthy gutters and cramped alleyways of Kowloon have become her home.

But the past Mercy can’t remember isn't done with her. An unusually powerful ghost has infested Kowloon’s waterways, drowning innocents and threatening the district. It claims to know Mercy—and secrets …

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Book Eaters comes The Girl with a Thousand Faces, a stunning Gothic tale set in a historical Hong Kong that meshes ancient myths and local legends into a haunting story of ghosts, grief, and women who will not forgive.

When Mercy Chan washes up on the shores of Hong Kong with no family, no money, and no memories, the only refuge she finds is the infamous, ghost-infested slum of Kowloon Walled City. Since then, she has rebuilt her life, working for the local triad as a ghost talker and dealing with the angry and bitter spirits who haunt the district. The filthy gutters and cramped alleyways of Kowloon have become her home.

But the past Mercy can’t remember isn't done with her. An unusually powerful ghost has infested Kowloon’s waterways, drowning innocents and threatening the district. It claims to know Mercy—and secrets from her past that are best left forgotten.

As Mercy is drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with this malignant spirit, she begins to realize that the monster she fights within these walls may well be one of her own making.

1 edition

Amber Herbert reviewed The Girl with a Thousand Faces by Sunyi Dean

A Good Premise Hindered By Its Presentation

3 stars

I loved The Book Eaters (it was my favorite read of 2022) and was excited when The Girl with a Thousand Faces became available. Unfortunately, I never connected with this story. Part One was full of explicit character development that lacked the heart I expected and required as a reader. The style lacked the interiority necessary for me to sympathize with Mercy and be fully immersed in the plot. Mercy, despite her repressed memories and scary urges, wasn't a strong enough character to pull me through the narrative. Once Part Two started, and I was thrust into a second-person POV, I felt even more disconnected. I wanted to adore Mercy as much as I had Devon. The format and narrative voice simply didn't work for me.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the advanced copy.