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thejufox 's review for:
Phoenix Extravagant
by Yoon Ha Lee
2 - 2.5 stars
So I don't want to say that this book was bad, because I don't believe that it was, but having finished Phoenix Extravagant affirmed for me that Yoon Ha Lee's writing just does not work for me.
A while ago I read The Dragon Pearl, I loved the concept and the world (mythology and folklore elements with a fairly unique magic system in the sci-fi setting) had a lot of potential, but I did not enjoy the characters and the writing didn't make me feel anything. I decided to give this one a try, since it's not a middle grade book this time, so I thought the approach Yoon Ha Lee took with Phoenix Extravagant may have been different + look at that cover, how gorgeous is that.
Once again, this time I loved the concept and world and the very unique magic system with the pigments extracted from artworks that can be used to create a sort of code to program automata. How cool does that sound?
The start was very rough for me, I fairly quickly realised that the writing was extremely dry and that's just not my thing. If the book had been longer, I might have ended up just not finishing it, but I was already a third in so I kept going. After the first third, the plot does pick up a lot, but not to the extent that I would say I had a great time. I had an okay time, I guess, but mostly because I was trying to project my own feelings into the story, since the writing itself didn't make me feel anything at all.
The characters weren't my favourite part either. I'm going to assume I'm not the only one that thinks Arazi is the best character in the book and I do have to say I liked the dragon. I think that's mostly because, as an automaton, the drier writing works with its personality a lot better, maybe? Vei I liked as well, but other than those two, I'm not sure.
I can appreciate the way Jebi (the MC) is kind of undecided on what side of this war they're on, since that's not a pov we often get. It's interesting to see them figuring out their stance on things throughout the story while remaining simultaneously fairly neutral and also extremely prejudiced against the invaders (this bothered me a lot, but I respect the choice to portray the MC this way).
Jebi's sister, Bongsunga, I did not enjoy at all as a character. She did not come across as a very consistent character to me, especially towards the end when we learn more about her. She completely betrays the only family member she still has, imprisoning them and forcing them to do things they don't want to do and then somehow a few chapters later it's important to her that Jebi is family?? I'm not sure how that happens. The argument that Jebi almost died and she realised in those moments that they're important to her does not sit well with me, because Jebi could've almost died several times way earlier in this book and Bongsunga didn't change her mind then either.
TL;DR: The concept and magic system are super cool and I wish the dry, impersonal writing worked for me, but it just did not. I couldn't connect to anyone or anything in the story and it made me feel nothing.
So I don't want to say that this book was bad, because I don't believe that it was, but having finished Phoenix Extravagant affirmed for me that Yoon Ha Lee's writing just does not work for me.
A while ago I read The Dragon Pearl, I loved the concept and the world (mythology and folklore elements with a fairly unique magic system in the sci-fi setting) had a lot of potential, but I did not enjoy the characters and the writing didn't make me feel anything. I decided to give this one a try, since it's not a middle grade book this time, so I thought the approach Yoon Ha Lee took with Phoenix Extravagant may have been different + look at that cover, how gorgeous is that.
Once again, this time I loved the concept and world and the very unique magic system with the pigments extracted from artworks that can be used to create a sort of code to program automata. How cool does that sound?
The start was very rough for me, I fairly quickly realised that the writing was extremely dry and that's just not my thing. If the book had been longer, I might have ended up just not finishing it, but I was already a third in so I kept going. After the first third, the plot does pick up a lot, but not to the extent that I would say I had a great time. I had an okay time, I guess, but mostly because I was trying to project my own feelings into the story, since the writing itself didn't make me feel anything at all.
The characters weren't my favourite part either. I'm going to assume I'm not the only one that thinks Arazi is the best character in the book and I do have to say I liked the dragon. I think that's mostly because, as an automaton, the drier writing works with its personality a lot better, maybe? Vei I liked as well, but other than those two, I'm not sure.
I can appreciate the way Jebi (the MC) is kind of undecided on what side of this war they're on, since that's not a pov we often get. It's interesting to see them figuring out their stance on things throughout the story while remaining simultaneously fairly neutral and also extremely prejudiced against the invaders (this bothered me a lot, but I respect the choice to portray the MC this way).
Jebi's sister, Bongsunga, I did not enjoy at all as a character. She did not come across as a very consistent character to me, especially towards the end when we learn more about her. She completely betrays the only family member she still has, imprisoning them and forcing them to do things they don't want to do and then somehow a few chapters later it's important to her that Jebi is family?? I'm not sure how that happens. The argument that Jebi almost died and she realised in those moments that they're important to her does not sit well with me, because Jebi could've almost died several times way earlier in this book and Bongsunga didn't change her mind then either.
TL;DR: The concept and magic system are super cool and I wish the dry, impersonal writing worked for me, but it just did not. I couldn't connect to anyone or anything in the story and it made me feel nothing.