Scan barcode
booklvrkat's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
San Francisco, 1906, before the earthquake. Gemma, a soprano vying for her space in the opera, Suling, determined to escape an arranged marriage. The women are as different as night and day, but one man, set upon having what isn’t his, and making the world his oyster, throws them together in this spell-binding story. The story takes us all the way to Paris to solve the mystery behind The Phoenix Crown, and the willpower of women.
Absolutely will be a favorite read for this month. I love stories of women overcoming obstacles, and men who deem it necessary to do their worst. The way the authors wrapped the real around the fiction made this story so easy to read and wanting more. I loved the bigger-than-life side characters, the desperation felt by Gemma and Suling to change their lives, and the romance that came out from under the rubble. A fast historical fiction read, I’d recommend this story to anyone trying to break a reading slump, or just needing something different.
P.S. The author’s note at the end of the story made me so happy. They state the only way to keep everything straight within the story, including characters, was lots and lots of spreadsheets.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Kidnapping, and Violence
jiao_li's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Violence
sarah_reading_party's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
What an amazing book! The Phoenix Crown is a story of friendship, of women standing up for themselves and others, and of love. I really enjoyed the strength of all of these women - Reggie, Gemma, Suling, and Alice - and the way they pursued justice, their careers/passions, and survival. The story revolves around the actions of one slimy man - Henry Thornton - and the effects of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The setting was fabulous and very engaging. I really enjoyed learning about the city at the turn of the century, the Chinese community, and the experience of women during this era... especially women with career vocations and passions. Each of these women's stories are so well told, which is not always the case with books with multiple main characters. I liked how the stories intertwined and how the women worked together and for each other to survive. One aspect that I did not like about this book was how cleanly everything came together at the end. I'm used to historical fiction having loose and uncertain ends, and felt this ending was a bit too unrealistic... though I did like the epilogue quite a bit so I guess it can go both ways!
This story is a must read! Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
This story is a must read! Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Racial slurs, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
More...