About the Book
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Author:
- Marie Lu
Cover Story: Who’s the Star?
BFF Charm: Let Me Love You x 2
Talky Talk: Straight Up (With a Touch of Purple)
Bonus Factor: Representation
Anti-Bonus Factor: Dan Scott Award for Awful Parenting
Relationship Status: Because It’s Lu
Cover Story: Who’s the Star?
The cover almost looks like a reversal of an early scene in the book in which Sydney walks past Winter’s picture on a billboard; this time she’s the one who looks glamorous and larger than life, and he’s the one caught in her orbit. It makes sense, since he’s the only one who admires her the same way the rest of the world admires him … Unless I’m just overthinking it.
The Deal:
Sydney Cossette, an operative of a private agency called the Panacea Group, is dismayed to find out her partner for her next job will be billionaire idol Winter Young. Since the daughter of notorious crime boss Eli Morrison is Winter’s biggest fan, the pop star is Panacea’s only chance at getting inside Morrison’s inner circle. Sydney, who’s had a rough life, is prepared to knock her famous new partner down a peg, but Winter is nowhere near as spoiled or shallow as she expected. Spotlights can hide the truth about someone as well as any agent’s cover story; also, it turns out, dancing and stage magic comes in surprisingly useful in the field … and did I mention they’re both attractive? Because of course they are.
BFF Charm: Let Me Love You x 2
Sydney is smart, tough, undyingly loyal to the agency that saved her from an abusive childhood, and suspicious of everybody else. This makes her an ideal spy, but also very difficult to get along with. Winter, on the other hand, has enough charm and talent to make almost everybody like him. Underneath it all, though, he’s driven, restless, eager for a “thankless good deed” to give his privileged life purpose, and as lonely as she is, which is why they see through each other’s defenses so well.
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Marie Lu is an expert at “enemies to lovers”, or “reluctant allies to lovers” in this case. Sparks fly, especially during Winter’s training sequences, where Sydney teaches him to get past an opponent’s guard and ends up lowering hers more than she intended.
Talky Talk: Straight Up (With a Touch of Purple)
Lu’s usually straightforward prose turns surprisingly poetic whenever she describes Winter, and the effect his looks and charisma have on the people around him. In the author’s note, she writes that his character was inspired by the band BTS, and that she’s a fan. Her admiration shows through very clearly in passages like these, in which Sydney watches Winter rehearsing:
There was no one else here, and yet, even now, he looked like a star, like he couldn’t help but burn so bright that even the air was drawn to him, that the moon yearned to illuminate him.
Sure, Sydney, if you say so.
Bonus Factor: Representation
Winter is Chinese-American, bisexual, and (rare for a male love interest in a romance novel) openly interested in things that are not considered traditionally masculine, like fashion and jewelry. He is also famous for drawing inspiration from his mixed heritage, combining different musical traditions and being fluent in English and Mandarin. The dancers he performs with (one of whom is his ex-boyfriend) include a Latino and a Black man; the three are close friends and take care of each other despite their high-pressure lifestyle. The director of Panacea is a Muslim hijabi woman; her group working alongside the CIA is never considered a problem, and her second-in-command, a white man, supports her wholeheartedly. (They have a “team mom and dad” vibe that makes me ship them.) Sydney is from a working-class background and has a lung condition, which she tries (unsuccessfully) to hide.
Anti-Bonus Factor: Dan Scott Award for Awful Parenting
Sydney’s and Winter’s dads were both typical deadbeats, but while Sydney’s mother loved and encouraged her before she died, Winter’s mother sees his father in him. As if that’s not enough, Winter had an older brother, who was their mother’s favorite and died before the start of the story. Since then, Mrs. Young can barely look her surviving son in the eye, which is heartbreaking on far too many levels. Winter’s manager shows more concern for the boy’s welfare, and she’s the one getting paid.
Relationship Status: Because It’s Lu
I’ve had an on-again, off-again relationship with Marie Lu’s books ever since the Legend series came out. With no sci-fi or fantasy elements, we don’t get to see as much of her world-building skills (although, this being a spy thriller, some of Panacea’s gadgets are pretty close to sci-fi territory). The romance is promising, though, especially since we know there’ll be time for it to develop further. As for the supporting characters, I’m looking forward to seeing more of them, such as Winter’s sweet ex-boyfriend or Sydney’s fatherly commander. And for pity’s sake, someone needs to grab Mrs. Young and drop her in the front row of Winter’s next concert. If ever a son needed his mother, this one does.
Literary Matchmaking
For another of Marie Lu’s romantic thrillers, read Warcross.
Go back to the dystopian series that launched her literary career with the Legend series.
If you’re looking for another spy thriller featuring queer agents of colour, read The Athena Protocol.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review. Stars and Smoke is available now.
