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veryreaderie 's review for:
Silver Phoenix
by Cindy Pon
One of the things about this novel that really drew me in was its setting. Silver Phoenix is set in the fictional empire of Xia, which is based on Ancient China, and it was refreshing to read a fantasy novel that isn't set in a magical equivalent of Medieval Europe.
I heard Cindy Pon talk about what fantasy meant for her, and she said she liked fantasy that took you away from where you were: fantastical fantasy, and that's exactly what she's written here. Ai Ling goes on a journey to bring her father back from the capital, and along the way she encounters all sorts of demons and walks through strange lands that don't seem to exist in the same plane of existence as the relatively ordinary Xia. At times it felt a bit like a continual slew of enemies was being thrown at her (almost like a video game where you keep finding a boss at the end of the dungeon) but it was done well and didn't feel like a random succession of battles.
Ai Ling is a likeable character in part because of her fond relationship with her parents, which is shown very early on. She is an only child, and her parents doted on her. It explains her feminist streak: of course she is more independent than women from her culture generally are, because she was given more tools for success. Needless to say, she shows her stubbornness most when faced with the beautiful Chen Yong, who she can't seem to behave normally around. The romance (or rather, friendship tinged with attraction at least from her end) felt very real in that kind of don't-know-what-to-do-with-myself-around-you way. At the same time, the friendship between her, Chen Yong and Li Rong took center stage during their journey, and I enjoyed the willingness of the author to let her characters be friends without trying to jump each other. (Although I'm hopeful for the sequel!)
Probably my favorite part is the books Ai Ling uses to reference her experiences. She refers to The Book of the Dead to find out what demons she faces, The Book of Lands Beyond (?) to find out where they are, and the Book of Making makes an appearance here and there. (I'll let you guess what that book is about.) What can I say? I love a nerdy main character.
Definitely a promising start to the series, with many enjoyable features—including delicious food, eye candy (scenic and male) and a cool divinity system that includes reincarnation. Looking forward to the next book!
I heard Cindy Pon talk about what fantasy meant for her, and she said she liked fantasy that took you away from where you were: fantastical fantasy, and that's exactly what she's written here. Ai Ling goes on a journey to bring her father back from the capital, and along the way she encounters all sorts of demons and walks through strange lands that don't seem to exist in the same plane of existence as the relatively ordinary Xia. At times it felt a bit like a continual slew of enemies was being thrown at her (almost like a video game where you keep finding a boss at the end of the dungeon) but it was done well and didn't feel like a random succession of battles.
Ai Ling is a likeable character in part because of her fond relationship with her parents, which is shown very early on. She is an only child, and her parents doted on her. It explains her feminist streak: of course she is more independent than women from her culture generally are, because she was given more tools for success. Needless to say, she shows her stubbornness most when faced with the beautiful Chen Yong, who she can't seem to behave normally around. The romance (or rather, friendship tinged with attraction at least from her end) felt very real in that kind of don't-know-what-to-do-with-myself-around-you way. At the same time, the friendship between her, Chen Yong and Li Rong took center stage during their journey, and I enjoyed the willingness of the author to let her characters be friends without trying to jump each other. (Although I'm hopeful for the sequel!)
Probably my favorite part is the books Ai Ling uses to reference her experiences. She refers to The Book of the Dead to find out what demons she faces, The Book of Lands Beyond (?) to find out where they are, and the Book of Making makes an appearance here and there. (I'll let you guess what that book is about.) What can I say? I love a nerdy main character.
Definitely a promising start to the series, with many enjoyable features—including delicious food, eye candy (scenic and male) and a cool divinity system that includes reincarnation. Looking forward to the next book!