Harbour of Hungry Ghosts (Chronicles of the Yiugwai Hunters #1), by Eliza Chan

The Drowned World duology was an absolute blast to read, so when Eliza Chan announced her new release, Harbour of Hungry Ghosts, was an absolute no-brain decision to pick it; and let me tell you that it delivered a lot, not only due to how smartly she blended together history and fantasy, getting the most from the historical Hong Kong setting, but also using the opportunity to examine how different cultures interact, the complexity of certain family relationships and all while delivering a fun and romp story about yiugwai hunters with many excellent action scenes.

Eliza Chan immediately throws us into the tensions of the Opium War-era Hong Kong, putting us in the shoes of Kiamling, a yiugwai hunter struggling under the expectations placed by her grandmother. However, after a group of British colonists interrupts a hungry ghost ritual, her grandmother disappears in the chaos that arises; Kiamling must step up and lead the search. But the creatures are changing, British myths are becoming part of the Chinese monsters; in that situation, Kiamling will need to try to solve all, acting on her own way, but just with the help of her younger sister Jinling, an old friend returned from Canton, and a bumbling English pupil, Archie, who will introduce her to many of the stories she will need to learn.

Kiamling is a deliciously complicated main character, whom Eliza Chan uses as a channel to explore many of the themes that are part of this novel. Her role in the family is a difficult one, as she's expected to carry the mantle of her grandmother, so the expectations are over the roof, but she's not too fond of tradition; at the same time, she wants to secure the best future possible for Jinling. Messy families are a common element in Chan's novels, and it's no different on this occasion.
She's trying to fill the gap left by her grandmother once she disappears, allowing her to better understand many of the apparently contradictory realities her grandmother was facing, reinforcing the bond of the family. 
Even if she makes mistakes, you will find yourself cheering for her, hoping she will finally find the way and find the strength to fight, even if that means breaking her own heart (iykyk).

Using Opium War-era Hong Kong as the setting was the perfect choice, showing the confrontation between two different cultures that one could say represent opposite values in themes like progress and preservation. However, I think it was really smart to show those Chinese creatures becoming affected by British myths, a metaphor about how eventually colonization forces the native population to accept those foreign parts into themselves.
The pacing is excellent, and I loved how the action scenes are so reminiscent of martial arts movies with an extra touch of fantasy; I practically devoured the book (and finished with a broken heart).

Harbour of Hungry Ghosts is a superb novel, a perfect choice if you are looking for a historical inspired fantasy that, while it takes the opportunity to be serious and examine big themes, also decides to be funnier at moments (the comp of Buffy was really on point). I'm so curious to see where Eliza Chan will take us next!