Super Short Summary

The Last Rose of Shanghai, published in 2021, is a historical romance novel by Weina Dai Randel set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai from 1940-1945. It follows the love story of Aiyi Shao, a nightclub owner, and Ernest Reismann, a Jewish refugee and pianist. The narrative recounts their struggles with societal expectations and the harsh realities of war. This text includes depictions of drug addiction, domestic violence, misogyny, graphic violence, death, and racist and antisemitic language.