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lucyatoz's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang is a book of historical fiction based around the time of the earthquake of San Francisco, which occurred on 18 April 1906. Four women, Alice, a world class botanist, Gemma, a Opera soprano who is part of the chorus of a tour company performing in the city, Nellie, a brilliant artist, and Suling, a talented seamstress, living with her third Uncle in Chinatown.
We read about how their lives come together and are then pulled apart again with the story centred around the Octagon House of Henry Thornton, millionaire philanthropist of the arts, who appreciates unique plants and the finer things in life, including having a Phoenix Crown, the prize in his collection.
I appreciated how Kate and Janie collaborated together on this book and really liked how they brought the story to a close in their authors' note.
I owned a copy of this book and listened to it on Audible. I read this for the April 2024 Readalong for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
We read about how their lives come together and are then pulled apart again with the story centred around the Octagon House of Henry Thornton, millionaire philanthropist of the arts, who appreciates unique plants and the finer things in life, including having a Phoenix Crown, the prize in his collection.
I appreciated how Kate and Janie collaborated together on this book and really liked how they brought the story to a close in their authors' note.
I owned a copy of this book and listened to it on Audible. I read this for the April 2024 Readalong for the 52 Book Club Reading Challenge 2024.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, and Racism
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