Olivia Lorenz has built the characters of these two men piece by piece so that we feel where they are in their lives. She gives us Mu Yun, a former military leader who feels he has failed his men by being captured and losing many during captivity. Nowadays we’d probably say he’s suffering from Post Traumatic Stress but her way of building him is better. She gives us Ruo Fei, who has had many men at his feet because he’s a star. They want him for what he is on stage, what he can make them feel. The two together see something else in one another. They’re drawn together as comrades in pain and, for a little while, as real people who can truly relate to one another.

This is a deep, deep look into the souls of two men. It’s powerful, well built and emotionally laden with heartache. It also gives us a look at people who attend Opera and explains what draws them back over and over no matter what their station in life. But, mostly, it’s a well written work about two men too unwilling or too afraid to break out of the mold life has cast them in, even for love. This is great reading for those times when you want a book with more substance than everyday light reading holds.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Very sensual

Reviewer: Dee Dailey
August 20, 2008