The Last Rose of Shanghai: a story of love and redemption

The Last Rose of Shanghai by Weina Dai Randel is a story of love and redemption in Japanese-occupied Shanghai during World War II. Two very different people from very different cultures are drawn together through the freedom of music. In 1940, Aiyi Shao was a young heiress and the owner of a nightclub. A nightclub she wants to bring back its popularity and glamor. Ernest Reismann is a penniless Jewish refugee driven out of Germany. He is an outsider in a community wary of outsiders. Aiyi hires Ernest to play piano at her club, defying customs and the wishes of her family and fiancé. He becomes a sensation and the club becomes the hot spot once again. Soon Aiyi and Ernest share more than just a passion for jazz. As the war escalates, they find themselves torn apart time and time again as their choices between love and survival grow desperate. Will they find a way to be together? Or will the war keep them apart forever? 

I enjoyed that The Last Rose of Shanghai presents a story of World War II from another part of the world other than Europe. It is easily forgotten that the world was at war other than the European front. Unfortunately, the story was way too long with 92 chapters and alternating points of view between Aiyi and Ernest. Granted the chapters were short but the story dragged at points. The ending was a bit far-fetched. Ms. Randel’s descriptions of the music were so wonderful and lyrical that I could almost hear the music in my head as Ernest played. I saved quite a few great quotes. One of my favorites was “There is a kind of love that strikes like a thunderbolt; it blinds you, yet opens your eyes to see the world anew.” Overall, I enjoyed The Last Rose of Shanghai. If you enjoy World War II stories and are looking for new stories about the era, I recommend The Last Rose of Shanghai. 

The Last Rose of Shanghai is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook