William Paulinha, a Filipino street hustler, is in the the early days of self-imposed reform when he meets Shem C., a failed writer ostracized by New York City's literati. Shem recruits Paulinha to retaliate against the community that spurned him, and under Shem's guidance, Paulinha becomes Master Chao, a revered practitioner of Feng Shui--the Chinese art of creating a harmonious environment that promises its adherents peace and prosperity. As this latter-day confidence man cuts a swath through upper-crust society, his biting observations form a comic picaresque of class resentment and revenge. "A powerful talent taking us into unknown territory" (The New York Times), Han Ong has written a devastating exploration of race and class, of character and identity, and of the slippery natures of privilege and expertise.