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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
I liked the way this one used Asian traditions and folktales (Chinese?) to create a fantasy world. It was interesting for me to learn about and I think someone who grew up with these traditions would appreciate seeing characters from stories they'd heard as children. I didn't love this one as much as the revewers though (it got a stared review from Booklist). I thought the events that happen within the book were thrown together, bam, bam, bam without a nice flow from one to the next. I also thought it was interesting that they never had to endure the hardships of travel - tThere is pretty much always food and some place to stay.
I wish I could have liked this book more. It has a lot going for it--awesome monsters, a protagonist who is smart and human, characters I was happy to spend time with--but overall it felt somewhat flat to me. Maybe it was the prose, which is clear and fine, but not so much lyrical? Maybe it was that I never felt the danger that the characters were in, or worried that they might fail in their quests? I'm not sure. Anyway, it is worth reading for the awesome monsters, because awesome monsters are awesome.
This book has several of the qualities that I look for in a really good book. First, it captured me right from the beginning. It didn't require pages before I was fully engaged. Second, I read it in nearly one sitting not wanting to put it down and when I had to I really wanted to come back to it. Third, I loved the characters. The characters you are suppose to love you love and the ones you are suppose to hate you hate. And guess what...many of the adults in the story are respectfully written. Wow! Fourth, I loved that it was different from a lot of stories out there currently. Since the book was set in China and uses Chinese/Asian mysticism and doesn't have vampires, werewolves, and faeries, it was a nice change. However, all the fantasy, paranormal aspects are there. Fifth, (you can tell I really liked this book) Pon did an incredible job create a very vivid and real world setting. Sixth, I loved that Ai Ling - the main female character - is a strong, smart girl is isn't silly or running into things willy nilly. I loved how she learns about her abilities and how they develop over the course of the story.
I could just go on and on about this book but I won't. I will say if you haven't read it go read it. And I wish I could have given it a 4.5 instead of a 4. I don't want to give away an ending spoiler but that was where I was most frustrated. It didn't have the closure I wanted it and I hope that is because there will be a sequel. Someone please tell me that there will be a sequel.
I could just go on and on about this book but I won't. I will say if you haven't read it go read it. And I wish I could have given it a 4.5 instead of a 4. I don't want to give away an ending spoiler but that was where I was most frustrated. It didn't have the closure I wanted it and I hope that is because there will be a sequel. Someone please tell me that there will be a sequel.
Wow. I typically don't read a lot of fantasy. I'm not sure why exactly but I guess I thought it wouldn't do much for me. I was wrong. Silver Phoenix was infused with action, magical elements, vivid descriptions and a slice of romantic tension. I could not put this one down and found myself reading it on my Nook while I was stuck in traffic. The writing was phenomenal and Pon created such a believable world with all the mythical and magical elements blended in. I was completely enthralled by the various creatures Ai Ling and company came across and wanted to know more about the fantastical elements and why they were after here. Oh and the descriptions...all the descriptions of the surrounding world, the food, etc. were incredible. I found my mouth watering when she would describe a meal and could feel the travel bug within me bouncing off the walls with her descriptions of the beautiful countryside and the various locations Ai Ling passed through.
Ai Ling was such a refreshing character! She was so kickass and sure of herself...and she certainly didn't need the men fighting her battles or telling her how they were to get out of the current situation they were in. My only problem with Ai Ling was that she felt very aloof to me. I couldn't figure out if her aloofness was intentional and that she was the type of girl that just didn't let people in or if it was a flaw in the character development. I just wanted to figure out what made her tick and what she really felt. It seemed like she had a one track mind to finding her father but I knew there had to be more to her than that. She was so strong but I wanted to know if it were just the necklace she had that made her that way or what was really behind that strength. I wanted to use her special capability to penetrate her thoughts so I could just get a sense of who she was.
My Final Thought: If you are looking for fantasy that is on the brink of YA and adult, I think this one is great. I found it to be a lot more mature than some other YA fantasy I've read and it was so unique and definitely refreshing since the driving force of the book was NOT a romance. The magical world and creatures was deftly imagined and the vivid descriptions just added to the enjoyability of the action-packed journey! I will definitely be reading the next one in the series to find out some of the things I'm dying to know and to see if we get to know Ai Ling a little bit more!
3.5 stars!
Ai Ling was such a refreshing character! She was so kickass and sure of herself...and she certainly didn't need the men fighting her battles or telling her how they were to get out of the current situation they were in. My only problem with Ai Ling was that she felt very aloof to me. I couldn't figure out if her aloofness was intentional and that she was the type of girl that just didn't let people in or if it was a flaw in the character development. I just wanted to figure out what made her tick and what she really felt. It seemed like she had a one track mind to finding her father but I knew there had to be more to her than that. She was so strong but I wanted to know if it were just the necklace she had that made her that way or what was really behind that strength. I wanted to use her special capability to penetrate her thoughts so I could just get a sense of who she was.
My Final Thought: If you are looking for fantasy that is on the brink of YA and adult, I think this one is great. I found it to be a lot more mature than some other YA fantasy I've read and it was so unique and definitely refreshing since the driving force of the book was NOT a romance. The magical world and creatures was deftly imagined and the vivid descriptions just added to the enjoyability of the action-packed journey! I will definitely be reading the next one in the series to find out some of the things I'm dying to know and to see if we get to know Ai Ling a little bit more!
3.5 stars!
This was another book recommended by Robin McKinley, who tends to post YA fantasy that she likes on her blog.
I enjoyed this story, albeit more as a cultural experience than in terms of plot. I found the idea of a fantasy novel that is not indebted to the European middle ages to be a worthwhile endeavor and Pon's portrayal of her mythologies and history as they went into creating this story was the best part for me.
I found the characters to be a bit flat, and also found myself extremely annoyed at the main character for being handed the idiot ball and doing something that appeared to me to be completely out of character in the name of plot tension. But that happens every so often.
Definitely a worthwhile read and I look forward to seeing what else Pon can do with this world she has adopted.
I enjoyed this story, albeit more as a cultural experience than in terms of plot. I found the idea of a fantasy novel that is not indebted to the European middle ages to be a worthwhile endeavor and Pon's portrayal of her mythologies and history as they went into creating this story was the best part for me.
I found the characters to be a bit flat, and also found myself extremely annoyed at the main character for being handed the idiot ball and doing something that appeared to me to be completely out of character in the name of plot tension. But that happens every so often.
Definitely a worthwhile read and I look forward to seeing what else Pon can do with this world she has adopted.
The writing in this book can be a little clunky, but the originality of the plot carries it through. You can never predict what will happen next - an increasingly valuable trait in the YA genre. Pon integrates a lot of ancient Chinese mythology and culture, and her descriptions of food will have you salivating! The ending just leaves you waiting for the sequel, which is frustrating. But I appreciate that the heroine, Ai Ling, saves the day more often than her warrior companion, Chen Yong.
This reads like a beautiful, cinematic film.
This was such a lovely book. As I read this, I felt like I was watching a foreign masterpiece--if you have watched any Asian historical/fantasy movies, you know what I'm talking about--with long, sweeping shots and a precise, almost-sly kind of humor to the dialogue . . . when comedy is involved. Perhaps I am romanticizing those kind of movies because I enjoy them so much . . . but, I suppose it is an easy conclusion to make that, just like I enjoy those style of movies, I really enjoyed this book.
It's nothing absolutely spectacular, but it doesn't need to be. It does an excellent job telling a story without jaw-dropping plot twists or fierce battles. It's a quiet kind of struggle. Yes, even when there are demons trying to claw the protagonists apart.
Ai Ling is a very different sort of heroine that most people would expect, I think. She isn't the kind of girl to come running into a fight ready to kick butt. She complains of walking, struggles with pettiness, and absolutely loves food. But she is still very, very fierce and strong in her own ways, and that's what makes her so interesting. I do wish her powers had been developed not so suddenly, but once again that falls right into what I have noticed in most East-Asian stories. It's more about overcoming the obstacles and the journey towards that rather than focusing on character backstory . . . unless it's absolutely vital to explaining the obstacle, like it was the case with Chen Yong.
I probably can't speak very well about the in depth character arcs and development, considering I read this so slowly. But no matter what, whenever I picked up the book, I was never at a loss or confused by the pacing or story arc.
And the food!!! Oh, wow. I'd honestly give this five stars based on the food descriptions alone. There's no worry about if the characters are eating or not, because pretty much every other chapter they're sitting down for one meal or another.
Anyways, I would probably have to read this in the course of several days as opposed to weeks to properly review it, but I still really like this book. I'd read it again, and obviously recommend it to anyone interested in Asian-inspired stories.
This was such a lovely book. As I read this, I felt like I was watching a foreign masterpiece--if you have watched any Asian historical/fantasy movies, you know what I'm talking about--with long, sweeping shots and a precise, almost-sly kind of humor to the dialogue . . . when comedy is involved. Perhaps I am romanticizing those kind of movies because I enjoy them so much . . . but, I suppose it is an easy conclusion to make that, just like I enjoy those style of movies, I really enjoyed this book.
It's nothing absolutely spectacular, but it doesn't need to be. It does an excellent job telling a story without jaw-dropping plot twists or fierce battles. It's a quiet kind of struggle. Yes, even when there are demons trying to claw the protagonists apart.
Ai Ling is a very different sort of heroine that most people would expect, I think. She isn't the kind of girl to come running into a fight ready to kick butt. She complains of walking, struggles with pettiness, and absolutely loves food. But she is still very, very fierce and strong in her own ways, and that's what makes her so interesting. I do wish her powers had been developed not so suddenly, but once again that falls right into what I have noticed in most East-Asian stories. It's more about overcoming the obstacles and the journey towards that rather than focusing on character backstory . . . unless it's absolutely vital to explaining the obstacle, like it was the case with Chen Yong.
I probably can't speak very well about the in depth character arcs and development, considering I read this so slowly. But no matter what, whenever I picked up the book, I was never at a loss or confused by the pacing or story arc.
And the food!!! Oh, wow. I'd honestly give this five stars based on the food descriptions alone. There's no worry about if the characters are eating or not, because pretty much every other chapter they're sitting down for one meal or another.
Anyways, I would probably have to read this in the course of several days as opposed to weeks to properly review it, but I still really like this book. I'd read it again, and obviously recommend it to anyone interested in Asian-inspired stories.
So this was another "bad book" a friend told me to read. Apparently it was riddled with clichés and horrible description. Sometimes I wonder if that friend is prone to being blinded by flaws or if she is secretly some conceited book snob. I'm really hoping for the former since she was grossly exaggerating yet again.
The story, at its most basic level, is about a strong-headed girl who possesses abilities she's just finding out about while going out to fulfill her destiny--mysterious, dark forces on her heels the entire journey, of course. Oh, and she meets a guy she sort of likes and there's sort of a little love triangle for a moment. And that's about as cliché the plot gets--but, really, try to point me to a recently written supernatural/magic/fantasy novel with a female protagonist that doesn't fit that simple formula. You've probably got a little bit of looking to do.
Past its most basic elements, the book was pretty unique. It was set in the Xian Kingdom, sort of like a fantasy pseudo-China back in the day (don't quote me on that), and featured many different creatures and monsters and legends my little green Western eyes hadn't set sight on before, not to mention countless creations of the author, I'm sure. The constant attacks might have been a little predictable, yeah. But I was always surprised and slightly horrified in the manner each new one took place. The book was sort of hard to predict sometimes, overall, though traps were often obvious. But that was fine. The creative creatures and circumstances were enough to redeem that and then some.
The characters, though, I must admit, were only okay. Ai Ling, the main character, was headstrong and smart, sure. But that's it. She was a bit of a Mary-Sue. Her dialogue and thinking were pretty general. Her new friend Chen Yong was just as plain. His past was pretty interesting, but that was the only thing that really gave him life. He pretty much was there just to protect Ai Ling and be there for her, and because of course there had to be a male character/love interest by default present. His brother Li Rong, while cliché with his complete obsession with girls and flirting with them, was the most interesting character. His personality added much to the dialogue, and I was sad that he couldn't be on every single page.
And now for the narration. Apart from the generalness of Ai Ling and a few awkward phrasings--"elliptical pebbles," huh? All right--there was nothing glaringly wrong with the prose. My friend is full of--something.
But truly, I did enjoy it. It was one of those epic fantasy adventures that I can't help but love, plus the Eastern spin on it was really cool. Really, in all honesty, I'd recommend it to people as a good book, because it was pretty enjoyable. I really should give that friend of mine a talking or two on what makes a book "bad," but then I might miss out on other gems in the rough. I can't wait to read whatever "awful" story she recommends next. . . .
The story, at its most basic level, is about a strong-headed girl who possesses abilities she's just finding out about while going out to fulfill her destiny--mysterious, dark forces on her heels the entire journey, of course. Oh, and she meets a guy she sort of likes and there's sort of a little love triangle for a moment. And that's about as cliché the plot gets--but, really, try to point me to a recently written supernatural/magic/fantasy novel with a female protagonist that doesn't fit that simple formula. You've probably got a little bit of looking to do.
Past its most basic elements, the book was pretty unique. It was set in the Xian Kingdom, sort of like a fantasy pseudo-China back in the day (don't quote me on that), and featured many different creatures and monsters and legends my little green Western eyes hadn't set sight on before, not to mention countless creations of the author, I'm sure. The constant attacks might have been a little predictable, yeah. But I was always surprised and slightly horrified in the manner each new one took place. The book was sort of hard to predict sometimes, overall, though traps were often obvious. But that was fine. The creative creatures and circumstances were enough to redeem that and then some.
The characters, though, I must admit, were only okay. Ai Ling, the main character, was headstrong and smart, sure. But that's it. She was a bit of a Mary-Sue. Her dialogue and thinking were pretty general. Her new friend Chen Yong was just as plain. His past was pretty interesting, but that was the only thing that really gave him life. He pretty much was there just to protect Ai Ling and be there for her, and because of course there had to be a male character/love interest by default present. His brother Li Rong, while cliché with his complete obsession with girls and flirting with them, was the most interesting character. His personality added much to the dialogue, and I was sad that he couldn't be on every single page.
And now for the narration. Apart from the generalness of Ai Ling and a few awkward phrasings--"elliptical pebbles," huh? All right--there was nothing glaringly wrong with the prose. My friend is full of--something.
But truly, I did enjoy it. It was one of those epic fantasy adventures that I can't help but love, plus the Eastern spin on it was really cool. Really, in all honesty, I'd recommend it to people as a good book, because it was pretty enjoyable. I really should give that friend of mine a talking or two on what makes a book "bad," but then I might miss out on other gems in the rough. I can't wait to read whatever "awful" story she recommends next. . . .
I liked the setting but couldn't get more than forty pages in due to what I felt to be excessive sexual violence.