Queen of Spades by Michael Shou-Yung Shum

Adult. Realistic Fiction. Gambling. Magical Realism. Luck. 

Rating: 3/5

Pages: 256

Started: 21 December 2023

Finished: 23 December 2023

Summary:

     Chan is new to the Royal casino, curious and wanting to make a good impression, but he can't help his curiosity toward one of the casino's unusual visitors. Mannheim, the Royal's pit boss, is dying--he can feel his brain decaying, confusion taking over--and the only thing that seems to help is a mysterious psychologist and her psychic nephew. Chimsky has gotten himself too deep into debt, his only choice to deal his loan shark the perfect hand, at risk of being caught. Barbara, Chimsky's wife, has clawed her way out of gambling addiction once, but she can feel her luck changing, and wants to give the tables one more go. 

    The lives of everyone at the   casino are all tied to a mysterious elderly woman who rarely places bets but often wins them. Queen of Spades follows each gambler as the stars, the luck, changes--for the worse for some, for the better for others. 

Thoughts: 

    This was a very intimate and immersive window into the gambling world. Shou-Yung Shum is obviously very knowledgeable about casinos and cards, and the level of detail, especially when it came to the outcome of games, made the novel feel gritty and real. The characters were also complex, distinct without feeling overly perfect or archetypal, and the way their stories wove together was artful and fascinating. Gambling was centered and valued, without being overly romanticized and without its addictive potential being overlooked.

    There was a lack of visceral detail throughout the book---weather, sensation, colors and physical descriptions were usually omitted, which made the action feel a bit flat. I also thought the end was a little unsatisfying; there were so many intricate threads woven through the novel that definitely could have been tied together in a more complex and well-thought-out manner. The (possible) magic especially was something I would have loved to see more resolution on. 

    However, this was an immersive and fascinating book that I very much enjoyed reading, and would happily recommend to anyone interested in the glamor and grit of the gambling world.