This has probably one of the best beginnings of any book I’ve read recently: a bandit comes reluctantly to the defense of a mouthy waitress at a coffeeshop; a totally avoidable brawl ensues. The book then proceeds to unfold in layers: the barmaid turns out to be a nun; the bandit has his own secrets; the bandits’ mission is not quite what it seems. The characters are hilariously sarcastic to one another but also thoughtful and tender; the wuxia/fantasy element is fantastic as well. I really enjoyed this book. I also loved how the Malaysian turns of phrase weren’t presented as an exotic English accent, but simply the language of the characters; all too often dialect is used as a way to set characters apart from the main, but here it is acknowledged as normal.