The Monstrous Misses Mai - by Van Hoang (Paperback)

About the Book

"Los Angeles brims with opportunity in 1959 -- though not for aspiring fashion designer Cordelia Mai Yin, the first-generation child of Vietnamese immigrants, who finds the city unkind to outsiders and as dispirited as her own family. When Cordi rents a cheap loft in an old apartment building, she quickly warms to kindred souls Tessa, Audrey, and Silly. They also want better things and have pasts they'd rather forget. That they all share the same middle name makes their friendship seem like destiny. As supportive as they are of each other, it's a struggle just to eke out a living, let alone hope to see their wishes for success come true. Until an ever-present and uncannily charming acquaintance of the landlord's offers a solution to their problems. He promises to fulfill their every dream. All it takes is a little magic. And a small sacrifice. As one surprisingly effective spell leads to another, their wishes get bigger. But so does the price they must pay. Amid the damaged seams of her life so far, Cordi must realize her own power in order to rip free, without losing everything she's worked so hard to achieve."--

Book Synopsis

A determined young woman in 1950s Los Angeles walks a darker city than she ever imagined in a spellbinding novel about the power to make dreams come true--whatever the sacrifice.

Los Angeles brims with opportunity in 1959--though not for aspiring fashion designer Cordelia Mai Yin, the first-generation child of Vietnamese immigrants, who finds the city unkind to outsiders and as dispirited as her own family. When Cordi rents a cheap loft in an old apartment building, she quickly warms to kindred souls Tessa, Audrey, and Silly. They also want better things and have pasts they'd rather forget. That they all share the same middle name makes their friendship seem like destiny.

As supportive as they are of each other, it's a struggle just to eke out a living, let alone hope to see their wishes for success come true. Until an ever-present and uncannily charming acquaintance of the landlord's offers a solution to their problems. He promises to fulfill their every dream. All it takes is a little magic. And a small sacrifice.

As one surprisingly effective spell leads to another, their wishes get bigger. But so does the price they must pay. Amid the damaged seams of her life so far, Cordi must realize her own power in order to rip free, without losing everything she's worked so hard to achieve.

Review Quotes

"The story's major strength lies in the powerful but complicated friendships between the women of the Misses Mai residence...there's plenty here for readers to sink their teeth into." --Publishers Weekly

"This bittersweet tale of greed, betrayal, and sacrifice has enough body horror to honor its dark roots but focuses on the love among its complicated characters for an almost-happy ending." --Booklist

"Hoang's mixture of suggestive magic and evocatively depicted history create an enjoyable tale of youthful striving within the American Dream." --Historical Novel Society

"A fascinating and impressively original novel by Van Hoang, The Monstrous Misses Mai will have a particular affinity for readers with an interest in deftly crafted stories of Dark Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, and Magical Realism. Certain to be an immediately popular pick..." --Midwest Book Review

"A cautionary tale about the devastating costs of the twin evils of greed and envy that will have you thinking about the Misses Mai long after you've read the last word." --Veronica G. Henry, Amazon bestselling author of The Canopy Keepers