A review by brucethegirl
Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

I loved just everything about this world. I loved the links to history, the extravagant indulgences in science fiction, and the way Jebi had no idea what was happening the entire time while the people around her moved like pieces on a chess board.
More than anything I loved the Dragon, Arzi. It was my favorite animal sidekick so far this year. I loved how it didn't want to kill, despite being built for war. I loved how it protected Jebi and was fascinated by hair colors. And more than anything its subtle jokes.
I loved the ending as well, while not very hopeful in the grand scheme of things, it was perfect for Jebi. It was a direct line linked to real world historical events, and I think the subtle exploration of that turbulent time in history was well done and deserves some major exploration.
If there are ever more in this series, I definitely will be checking them out. As it stands, I'll be devouring Lee's back catalogue in the coming months.
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