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Demon Song
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Expected 30 Sep 25An eerie and unsettling gothic horror about the heady and hungry price of fame, drawing on Chinese mythology. Perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Cassandra Khaw.
Places like this have a history. Desires. And this one is famished.
Megan and her mom have escaped the clutches of an abusive man, who dragged them halfway across the world from Portland to Beijing. On the run and with few options, her mom turns to Wei, an old friend of hers and takes a job cleaning the Huihuang Opera house, a lavish theater in which she used to perform.
Rusty with her Mandarin, and feeling like an outsider in the country, Megan soon finds a group of friends in a young troupe of performers, and especially in Kristy, who takes an immediate shine to her. Torn between a battered copy of Journey to the West and an awkward friendship, Megan begins spending more and more time with Kristy. Her love of singing brings out a whole new side of Megan, who finds a new purpose unlocking within the walls of the ancient building
But the Huihuang Opera house has secrets. There are passages within the walls that shouldn't be there, and the more Megan delves into that old book, the more the myths begin to bleed into real life. As reality and folklore start to merge, and Megan finds it increasingly difficult to tell the two apart, she must uncover a decades-old mystery, and discover the true, horrifying secret of the Huihuang Opera house before it casts its hungry eyes on her.
Places like this have a history. Desires. And this one is famished.
Megan and her mom have escaped the clutches of an abusive man, who dragged them halfway across the world from Portland to Beijing. On the run and with few options, her mom turns to Wei, an old friend of hers and takes a job cleaning the Huihuang Opera house, a lavish theater in which she used to perform.
Rusty with her Mandarin, and feeling like an outsider in the country, Megan soon finds a group of friends in a young troupe of performers, and especially in Kristy, who takes an immediate shine to her. Torn between a battered copy of Journey to the West and an awkward friendship, Megan begins spending more and more time with Kristy. Her love of singing brings out a whole new side of Megan, who finds a new purpose unlocking within the walls of the ancient building
But the Huihuang Opera house has secrets. There are passages within the walls that shouldn't be there, and the more Megan delves into that old book, the more the myths begin to bleed into real life. As reality and folklore start to merge, and Megan finds it increasingly difficult to tell the two apart, she must uncover a decades-old mystery, and discover the true, horrifying secret of the Huihuang Opera house before it casts its hungry eyes on her.
128 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 30, 2025
589 people want to read
About the author
Kelsea Yu
14 books232 followersKelsea Yu is a Taiwanese Chinese American writer who is eternally enthusiastic about sharks and appreciates a good ghost story. Over a dozen of her short stories and essays appear in Clarkesworld, Apex, Nightmare, PseudoPod, Fantasy, and elsewhere. Her debut novella, Bound Feet, was a Shirley Jackson Award nominee, and her next novella, Demon Song, will be published by Titan Books in 2025. Kelsea’s first novel, It’s Only a Game, is published by Bloomsbury. Find her on Instagram and Twitter as @anovelescape or visit her website kelseayu.com. Kelsea lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, and a pile of art supplies.
Photograph: ©Katy Weaver Photography
Photograph: ©Katy Weaver Photography
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 1, 2025
I didn't know I needed a culturally rich Chinese opera house horror novella, but apparently I did. This was such a unique read in my opinion and the author did a great job with both characters and plot in just under 200 pages. The story follows 16-year-old Megan as she moves from Portland to Beijing where she begins to live and work in an opera house together with her mother. I was immediately in love with the setting and this short book really made the most out of it, introducing Chinese mythology and food and fashion. The opera house is famous for its adaptation of a mythological tale and it was fascinating to read about that, even if the myth was explained in a somewhat infodumpy way. Megan also starts to learn about the grim history of the opera house that tends to repeat itself. The building is both glamorous and unsettling, and very possibly haunted. Let's just say that Megan has a dream about a demon putting its hand down her throat and ripping her tongue out during her very first night there and it never really gets better from that point on. I liked Megan as a character, but she could be rather bratty at times. Part of me wishes that she was older, but her being a teenager made room for the tense relationship with her mother, which is another strong part of this book. Megan had an unstable upbringing that is marked by multiple moves every time her mother flees from another abusive relationship. The portrayal of the mother-daughter relationship was very well done and it showed that both women try really hard with each other even if it's frustrating and difficult. Some parts of the story were surprisingly wholesome even, with Megan beginning to think of the opera house as a real home for herself and her mother. But these nice moments were often followed by the exact opposite or a horror scene, so the entire book was an emotional rollercoaster. Overall, I think that this was a well-crafted novella, but there would have been enough content for a full-length novel as well. At least I would have loved to read more of this story.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2025
3.5 stars.
The vibes, straightforward storyline, and the character's voice (the FMC is a teen/young adult) made this novella read a lot more YA than adult. But despite that, I still had a good time.
The historical Chinese opera house definitely gave off the perfect Gothic vibes and the building itself pretty much became another main character. I liked how we experienced its tragic past and its ghosts alongside Megan. It was like being in a literary haunted house, combining on-screen horror, tragedy, and drama.
I really liked how the author managed to flesh out the FMC's childhood and family situation in such a short book. It was developed enough so that I actually cared and was invested in the story. It felt like Megan was already my friend.
I think the best part of the novella was how the author really infused her Chinese heritage into the story. Being an immigrant myself, I could relate to how Megan felt like an outsider in her mother's homeland. Wanting to belong somewhere is a universal human feeling.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this arc.
The vibes, straightforward storyline, and the character's voice (the FMC is a teen/young adult) made this novella read a lot more YA than adult. But despite that, I still had a good time.
The historical Chinese opera house definitely gave off the perfect Gothic vibes and the building itself pretty much became another main character. I liked how we experienced its tragic past and its ghosts alongside Megan. It was like being in a literary haunted house, combining on-screen horror, tragedy, and drama.
I really liked how the author managed to flesh out the FMC's childhood and family situation in such a short book. It was developed enough so that I actually cared and was invested in the story. It felt like Megan was already my friend.
I think the best part of the novella was how the author really infused her Chinese heritage into the story. Being an immigrant myself, I could relate to how Megan felt like an outsider in her mother's homeland. Wanting to belong somewhere is a universal human feeling.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this arc.
August 5, 2025
Demon Song by Kelsea Yu is a must-have for your Fall reading list. This gothic horror novella blends Phantom of the Opera with Chinese mythology while simultaneously telling the story of Megan and her mother.
After moving from Portland to Beijing, Megan finds herself living in the opera house with her mother. From there she struggles with fitting in and standing out as the 'American girl'. The longer Megan stays at the old opera house however, the weirder things get. She is haunted by strange voices and nightmares, and has a growing suspicion that her mom has been hiding things and lying to her.
I loved learning about the story of Sun Wukong and Baigujing, and how Kelsea combines this tale with her story rich in history, vengeance, and the all-consuming hunger for more.
I've said it before, but Kelsea writes horror with heart, and Demon Song is no exception.
This book comes out September 30 and I highly recommend checking it out!
I received an e-galley for review! All opinions my own.
After moving from Portland to Beijing, Megan finds herself living in the opera house with her mother. From there she struggles with fitting in and standing out as the 'American girl'. The longer Megan stays at the old opera house however, the weirder things get. She is haunted by strange voices and nightmares, and has a growing suspicion that her mom has been hiding things and lying to her.
I loved learning about the story of Sun Wukong and Baigujing, and how Kelsea combines this tale with her story rich in history, vengeance, and the all-consuming hunger for more.
I've said it before, but Kelsea writes horror with heart, and Demon Song is no exception.
This book comes out September 30 and I highly recommend checking it out!
I received an e-galley for review! All opinions my own.
June 16, 2025
It was chilling and immersive! If I were to describe it, reading this book felt like getting lost in an abandoned, haunted, Chinese opera house where shadows lurked in every corners. I love the storytelling, the history and classic tales included, the angst, and everything about it!
September 1, 2025
3.5! An enjoyable and twisty “haunted house” but make it a Chinese opera house, this plays cleverly on the interaction of past and present, identity and belonging.
Thank you Titan Books for the early copy!
I’d have liked more horror elements, I think this could have gone harder, but I liked the exploration of Chinese opera mixed with Phantom of the Opera - it made for an interesting read. I think due to the length of the novella some elements were underdeveloped and I would have loved more exploration into past relationships, the twisted dynamic between Megan and the Opera house and Deng Aili, a previous singer, and the demonic entities/presence in the house itself.
The narrator is 16, framed as an adult looking back, so it reads more YA than adult, but this doesn’t take away from the fast-paced intrigue. A new to me author I’m going to be keeping an eye on!
Thank you Titan Books for the early copy!
I’d have liked more horror elements, I think this could have gone harder, but I liked the exploration of Chinese opera mixed with Phantom of the Opera - it made for an interesting read. I think due to the length of the novella some elements were underdeveloped and I would have loved more exploration into past relationships, the twisted dynamic between Megan and the Opera house and Deng Aili, a previous singer, and the demonic entities/presence in the house itself.
The narrator is 16, framed as an adult looking back, so it reads more YA than adult, but this doesn’t take away from the fast-paced intrigue. A new to me author I’m going to be keeping an eye on!
August 19, 2025
I loved the setting (descriptions of the opera house were phenomenal) and found Megan’s attitude and feelings to be deeply understandable (her complicated relationships with Mandarin/China as a whole and her mother really sang throughout the story).
However, so much of the story lacked tension. Megan’s compulsion to perform didn’t feel genuine to Megan, more of a device to bring her closer to a plot decision - the demon came before the song, as it were. And structuring the story as a letter (that didn’t read very much like a letter except for a handful of random sentences in second person) didn’t work for me.
I really wanted more horror moments especially, because those were awesome
{Thank you Titan for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
However, so much of the story lacked tension. Megan’s compulsion to perform didn’t feel genuine to Megan, more of a device to bring her closer to a plot decision - the demon came before the song, as it were. And structuring the story as a letter (that didn’t read very much like a letter except for a handful of random sentences in second person) didn’t work for me.
I really wanted more horror moments especially, because those were awesome
{Thank you Titan for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
August 14, 2025
After fleeing abuse with her Mother, Megan finds shelter in a Beijing opera house, where myth and reality blur.
I absolutely devoured this book, it was beautifully written and so easy to read. The opera house setting was fantastic and the Chinese folklore elements were blended throughout so seamlessly. I really felt for Megan as she navigated the complex relationship with her mother.
Thank you NetGalley and Titan books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely devoured this book, it was beautifully written and so easy to read. The opera house setting was fantastic and the Chinese folklore elements were blended throughout so seamlessly. I really felt for Megan as she navigated the complex relationship with her mother.
Thank you NetGalley and Titan books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 23, 2025
Thanks so much to Titan Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
The idea of a Phantom of the Opera retelling set in a Beijing opera house was fantastic. I loved the way it was interwoven with the story of Baigujing from Journey to the West (psst, publishers: more Chinese spec fic based on Journey to the West, please. It's only the number one most famous novel in China that's barely represented in the West). And I could really relate to Megan's feelings of isolation as a Chinese American suddenly living in China and struggling with the language.
If anything, I just wanted more. More about the Huihuang Opera House, more about Beijing (Peking) opera, more about this book's version of the Phantom.
Definitely recommended as a quick, spooky autumn read!
The idea of a Phantom of the Opera retelling set in a Beijing opera house was fantastic. I loved the way it was interwoven with the story of Baigujing from Journey to the West (psst, publishers: more Chinese spec fic based on Journey to the West, please. It's only the number one most famous novel in China that's barely represented in the West). And I could really relate to Megan's feelings of isolation as a Chinese American suddenly living in China and struggling with the language.
If anything, I just wanted more. More about the Huihuang Opera House, more about Beijing (Peking) opera, more about this book's version of the Phantom.
Definitely recommended as a quick, spooky autumn read!
August 28, 2025
3.5 stars
September 4, 2025
Oofta this was creepy, but good! Review to come! 💀
July 10, 2025
Haunting and gorgeous.
Want to read
March 16, 2025Well this just shot up to my most anticipated of the year list after devouring Bound Feet in one sitting. I can't wait for September!!!
Want to read
June 17, 2025"Perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Cassandra Khaw, an eerie and unsettling gothic horror about the heady and hungry price of fame, drawing on Chinese mythology."
Want to read
August 26, 2025I HEARD SOMEONE SAY “CHINESE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA GOTHIC HORROR” AND I’M HERE I’VE NEVER BEEN MORE HERE
August 20, 2025
I really loved this atmospheric horror novella set in the Beijing Opera House! It's inspired by The Phantom of the Opera, but with a very light touch from Kelsea Yu.
Megan's mother has, yet again, left a terrible relationship. But this time, the small family of two people is stranded in China without their passports. They move into the Beijing Opera House where they're given rooms in exchange for working as cleaning staff ... although Megan suspects that the manager expects more from her mother than cleaning expertise.
At night, Megan is plagued by hyperrealistic dreams of mirrors and the masked characters of Chinese Opera. By day, she's trying to navigate her new world and her relationship with her mother. And she's made friends with the new opera star, who's offered to give her singing lessons.
The story is told in first person by Megan, but she's talking to a specific audience, and the reader won't discover who until the very end. The main plot is the mystery of what's happening to Megan: she knows, but she's also hesitant to tell you everything at once. The slow unfolding of the story makes for a tense reading experience!
You don't have to be a Phantom fan to read this, but as a reader who discovered Phantom the novel, the musical, and with other retellings at a formative time, this was even more fun. It's been added to my short list of favorite Phantom retellings!!
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.
Megan's mother has, yet again, left a terrible relationship. But this time, the small family of two people is stranded in China without their passports. They move into the Beijing Opera House where they're given rooms in exchange for working as cleaning staff ... although Megan suspects that the manager expects more from her mother than cleaning expertise.
At night, Megan is plagued by hyperrealistic dreams of mirrors and the masked characters of Chinese Opera. By day, she's trying to navigate her new world and her relationship with her mother. And she's made friends with the new opera star, who's offered to give her singing lessons.
The story is told in first person by Megan, but she's talking to a specific audience, and the reader won't discover who until the very end. The main plot is the mystery of what's happening to Megan: she knows, but she's also hesitant to tell you everything at once. The slow unfolding of the story makes for a tense reading experience!
You don't have to be a Phantom fan to read this, but as a reader who discovered Phantom the novel, the musical, and with other retellings at a formative time, this was even more fun. It's been added to my short list of favorite Phantom retellings!!
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.
August 28, 2025
Thank you so much to Titan Books for sending me a physical arc in exchange for an honest review.
I gave Demon Song by Kelsea Yu 3 stars.
Kelsea Yu weaves the opulence of a Beijing Opera House with an unsettling atmosphere in this horror novella inspired by Chinese mythology. Using parables, Yu creates a story of life imitating art which instills an unnerving and sinister feel to every page. Having studied Buddhism, I am familiar with the story of Sun Wukong, and I really enjoyed the clever twist Yu spun on the story. It was engaging and gave an immersive insight into Chinese history, religion and culture.
My favourite part of this novella was the author's exploration of belonging: in such few pages, the author fully develops every character and I was particularly impressed with how much backstory we got for the main character, Megan. Because of this, I felt a great deal of empathy for her, which enforced the high stakes of the plot and added to the urgency of the story.
At times, the narration didn't always work for me. It is told from the perspective of the main character looking back on the events that transpired, but the interjections of future Megan felt jarring, and at times, confusing. Yu's strengths lay in the descriptive macabre scenes that were written very well, however, the rest of the writing in this book felt too simplistic for my tastes.
Overall, I had a lot of fun with Demon Song and it was impossible to put down. If you're looking for a creepy novella steeped in rich mythology with an elegant setting and complex relationships then I would highly recommend checking this one out!
I gave Demon Song by Kelsea Yu 3 stars.
Kelsea Yu weaves the opulence of a Beijing Opera House with an unsettling atmosphere in this horror novella inspired by Chinese mythology. Using parables, Yu creates a story of life imitating art which instills an unnerving and sinister feel to every page. Having studied Buddhism, I am familiar with the story of Sun Wukong, and I really enjoyed the clever twist Yu spun on the story. It was engaging and gave an immersive insight into Chinese history, religion and culture.
My favourite part of this novella was the author's exploration of belonging: in such few pages, the author fully develops every character and I was particularly impressed with how much backstory we got for the main character, Megan. Because of this, I felt a great deal of empathy for her, which enforced the high stakes of the plot and added to the urgency of the story.
At times, the narration didn't always work for me. It is told from the perspective of the main character looking back on the events that transpired, but the interjections of future Megan felt jarring, and at times, confusing. Yu's strengths lay in the descriptive macabre scenes that were written very well, however, the rest of the writing in this book felt too simplistic for my tastes.
Overall, I had a lot of fun with Demon Song and it was impossible to put down. If you're looking for a creepy novella steeped in rich mythology with an elegant setting and complex relationships then I would highly recommend checking this one out!
May 22, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Do you like:
✅ Asian horror
✅ Complicated family relationships
✅ Queer characters
✅ Unexpected endings
✅ Beautiful imagery
Megan is just 16 years old and fleeing in the middle of the night with her mother, Jia. They're running from her mother's abusive boyfriend. Jia brings them to the Huīhuáng Opera House. The opera is full of secrets and patrons with just as many secrets.
I got my hands on the FIRST ARC of Demon Song by happenstance. Kelsea Yu brought the book into @grandgesturebooks and graciously gifted it to us. I devoured it (no pun intended). I was already a fan of Yu's book It's Only a Game and was not disappointed with Demon Song. The way Chinese history and storytelling is woven into Demon Song will have you wanting to deep dive into more stories and tales (I spent hours on Wikipedia after). As an eldest daughter who has a complicated relationship with their mom, this was so validating to read. I can't wait for everyone to read this when it comes out in September.
Do you like:
✅ Asian horror
✅ Complicated family relationships
✅ Queer characters
✅ Unexpected endings
✅ Beautiful imagery
Megan is just 16 years old and fleeing in the middle of the night with her mother, Jia. They're running from her mother's abusive boyfriend. Jia brings them to the Huīhuáng Opera House. The opera is full of secrets and patrons with just as many secrets.
I got my hands on the FIRST ARC of Demon Song by happenstance. Kelsea Yu brought the book into @grandgesturebooks and graciously gifted it to us. I devoured it (no pun intended). I was already a fan of Yu's book It's Only a Game and was not disappointed with Demon Song. The way Chinese history and storytelling is woven into Demon Song will have you wanting to deep dive into more stories and tales (I spent hours on Wikipedia after). As an eldest daughter who has a complicated relationship with their mom, this was so validating to read. I can't wait for everyone to read this when it comes out in September.
August 31, 2025
This book was really cool.
Yes, okay, it's horror, so 'cool' might be a strange word, but first off, it's different from what I've read. I'm not familiar with Chinese mythology, so that was interesting to read a book with this inspiration and set in an opera house, which is why I picked it up in the first place.
I liked the story and the characters. The horror was a nice touch, and what I liked most was the mystery surrounding the Opera House and Megan's mom. The book is short, 176ish pages, but it's packed with everything you need to make it a good mystery.
Pick it up if you like:
- Horror with a twist
- Chinese Mythology inspiration
- Secrets and Family secrets
A note about the horror: it's a bit graphic but still mild, depending on what your horror reads are.
Thank you Titan Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC. This review is my own, and I'm leaving it voluntarily.
Yes, okay, it's horror, so 'cool' might be a strange word, but first off, it's different from what I've read. I'm not familiar with Chinese mythology, so that was interesting to read a book with this inspiration and set in an opera house, which is why I picked it up in the first place.
I liked the story and the characters. The horror was a nice touch, and what I liked most was the mystery surrounding the Opera House and Megan's mom. The book is short, 176ish pages, but it's packed with everything you need to make it a good mystery.
Pick it up if you like:
- Horror with a twist
- Chinese Mythology inspiration
- Secrets and Family secrets
A note about the horror: it's a bit graphic but still mild, depending on what your horror reads are.
Thank you Titan Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC. This review is my own, and I'm leaving it voluntarily.
August 28, 2025
This was so good?? I kinda wish it was longer cause I wanna live in it a little longer. I don't know anything about Chinese opera, but Yu was able to pull the haunted strings to a staccato here. A good amount of atmospheric spooky, something I would have liked more of, but our main character's ignorance plays a lot into the suspense. The opera house itself had a lot of potential for spooky stuff that I'm disappointed didn't happen, like more use of it being alive. I think I wanna look into Chinese opera now.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the eARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the eARC!
July 19, 2025
A gothic Chinese Phantom of the Opera?! Yes please!! Demon Song is another incredibly intense page turner from author Kelsea Yu. I loved It's Only A Game, and this follow up does not disappoint. I felt so immersed in the story's world through Kelsea's visceral prose and ended up devouring the entire book in two sittings - it's that good!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2025
This was like The Haunting of Hill House meets Phantom of the Opera. I loved it.
DEMON SONG is a haunting, atmospheric story set against the backdrop of the Chinese opera, with a main character who is grappling with the different parts and layers of her identity. Who Megan is almost feels as liminal as her new home. I really loved the mother-daughter storyline, and since this is horror, I also loved the gore! The finale was perfect, in my opinion. Definitely add this one to your fall TBR.
DEMON SONG is a haunting, atmospheric story set against the backdrop of the Chinese opera, with a main character who is grappling with the different parts and layers of her identity. Who Megan is almost feels as liminal as her new home. I really loved the mother-daughter storyline, and since this is horror, I also loved the gore! The finale was perfect, in my opinion. Definitely add this one to your fall TBR.
August 13, 2025
HAUNTING!!!
This was the first book I’ve read by the author. Cover and title is shooting! If you enjoy queer characters, unexpected endings, complex family relationships and gothic horror; then this book is for you!
This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
This was the first book I’ve read by the author. Cover and title is shooting! If you enjoy queer characters, unexpected endings, complex family relationships and gothic horror; then this book is for you!
This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
Read
August 26, 2025for phantom of the opera fans who don’t care for the phantom (character) very much. so, me in many ways. i think the prose can be weak at times but the concept is strong enough that it doesn’t distract
August 2, 2025
Full review to follow closer to release date as per publisher's preference.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2025
Gothic horror with Chinese mythology influences? Perfectly done. A great book to pick up for a spooky fall read with relatable characters. Five stars all the way
August 30, 2025
The story was good. Somethings weren’t unknown to me and well, even know it kept me intrigued and the story had a good phase, the ending left me flat.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews