While still a WWII story, the plot offers a perspective not usually seen in this genre: that of the Japanese-occupied Chinese and the refugee Shanghai Jews. It was enlightening to learn about this aspect of WWII. During WW2, a Jewish refugee Earnest seeks a new life in Shanghai where he meets Aiyi, a nightclub owner who hires him as a pianist. But as WW2 progresses their lives are changed forever. Three years later, and now that The Last Rose of Shanghai is officially released, I will say, The Last Rose of Shanghai is a story of race, of love, of war's horrors, of forgotten-history of WWII, of choices, of destiny, of cultures, of rebuilding your life in a strange land, of finding a home, of losing the home, of family, of self-discovery, of religion, of losing faith, of parenthood.

The Moon in the Palace depicts Empress Wu’s sharp, persistent spirit but does not neglect to make her believably naive and vulnerable, an untried girl among ruthless women. The intrigue and machinations of the imperial court come to life under her hand, a vast and dangerous engine with each piece moving for its own reasons.” — Shelf Awareness (starred review) A very successful and transporting novel that beautifully captures the sounds, smells, and social mores of seventh-century China.” — Historical Novels Review (Editors’ Choice) This book is my favorite kind of historical fiction – an engrossing story that also opens my eyes to a piece of history I wasn’t familiar with. The story is set in Shanghai under Japanese occupation during WWII and is told from the alternating points of view of Aiyi and Ernest. Aiyi is a young Chinese heiress with a love for jazz who owns one of Shanghai’s most popular nightclubs (she is quite the entrepreneur for her day!). Ernest is a penniless Jewish refugee from Germany searching for shelter in Shanghai. The two are brought together through music, and a great story of love, survival, and redemption unfolds. Randel, who sat down for a Q&A about The Last Rose in Shanghai, shared with China Daily everything from what inspired the novel to how she approached her research to ensure authenticity.

Often, stories of struggle are written from the point of view of middle class or impoverished characters. Aiyi being rich gives us an ang

As part of my work with UN Women, I have started reading as many books and essays about equality as I can get my hands on. There is so much amazing stuff out there! Funny, inspiring, sad, thought-provoking, empowering! I’ve been discovering so much that, at times, I’ve felt like my head was about to explode… I decided to start a Feminist book club, as I want to share what I’m learning and hear your thoughts too. What inspired you to write a historical novel highlighting the experiences of Jewish refugees in Shanghai in the 1940s?Weina Dai Randel's poignant, sweeping love story paints a vibrant portrait of a little-known slice of World War II history. Not to be missed!" ―Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Huntress The book is an alternating narrative. Half of it is first person, half third person. The first person narration comes from Aiyi Shao, a young woman who owns a jazz club in Shanghai. The third person parts involve Ernest Riesmann, a Jewish refugee who’s come to Shanghai with his younger sister to escape persecution in Nazi Germany. Many details were glossed over. It felt like the events were being listed off and they weren’t descriptive enough for me. I was being told, not shown what was happening. For example: After Ernest was hired, time skipped forward by several months and the club was flourishing. It didn’t go through the details of Ernest assimilating to life in Shanghai or the developing romance, they just kind of happened. The vibrant Shanghai jazz scene takes to the stage in the story, from Aiyi’s club to Ernest and his jazz piano performances. Why did you choose to spotlight jazz in Shanghai during that time?

Christian Bale (centre) as JG Ballard’s alter ego in the film version of Empire of the Sun. Photograph: Allstar/Cinetext/Warner Bros The best of the Shanghai-set novels by China’s leftwing realist writers of the 1930s – who also included Lu Xun and Ba Jin – which accentuated the harsh and often brutal capitalist face of the city and offered an intimate portrait of working-class life.A passion for Chinese history shines in the fictional works of Weina Dai Randel, who earned praise for her award-winning historical duology -- The Moon in the Palace and Empress in the Moon -- spotlighting the epic rise of China’s only female emperor, Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). She has since turned her attention to the World War II era in her forthcoming book The Last Rose in Shanghai, which will be published on Dec 1. Set in 1940 under the shadow of Japanese occupation, the novel brings to life Shanghai’s history as a haven for Jewish refugees as well as its dynamic jazz scene, all through a heart-rending love story. The Last Rose of Shanghai is about the forbidden love between Aiyi Shao, a wealthy heiress, nightclub owner, and business mogul in Shanghai, and Ernest Reismann, a penniless Jewish refugee from Germany, whom Aiyi hires to play the piano at her club. The romance between them is sweet: I love how much they care for — and take care of — each other. And while the obstacles between them did get a bit much towards the end (a scene featuring a tank stretched the limits of even my suspension of disbelief), I do like how the core reasons they couldn’t be together were very true to their characters’ unique circumstances. I had high hopes for The Last Rose of Shanghai by Weina Dai Randel. High enough that I semi-broke one of my personal rules, which is to avoid World War 2 historical fiction.

I listened to the audio CD of The Last Rose of Shanghai by Weina Dai Randel and learned so much about Shanghai’s history during World War II. The audio CD was pleasantly performed by Josh Bloomberg and Emily Woo Zeller. Most of the books that I had previously read about World War II and the Holocaust took place primarily in Nazi occupied countries in Europe. Little had been written about Shanghai’s fate during World War II. The Last Rose of Shanghai captured the little known history of the more than twenty thousand Jewish refugees that escaped the throes of the Nazis and found safety in Shanghai. It also focused on the effects Japanese-occupied Shanghai had on the Chinese inhabitants, foreigners that had made Shanghai their home and on the Jewish refugees. The Last Rose of Shanghai was well written and impeccably well researched. Weina Dai Randel proved that she was a gifted storyteller with this book. The Last Rose of Shanghai was engrossing, rich in details about the time period and an unforgettable love story. The chapters alternated between the POV’S of Aiyi and Ernest during the war and occupation and then by Aiyi in present time. From the electrifying jazz clubs to the impoverished streets of a city under siege, The Last Rose of Shanghai is a timeless, sweeping story of love and redemption.Although unusual, the alternating narrative approach didn’t bother me. Once you realize that the book follows this pattern, you barely notice. A powerful story of the relationship between a Shanghai heiress and a Jewish refugee... one readers will never forget." ―Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star