Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia (Silver Phoenix, 1)

The beginning of this book gripped me so completely that I was compelled to keep reading. I was transported to China and the setting became real to me. The same with the characters. Ai Ling's struggles drew me, and I was able to identify with her, which is the sign of a good author. I haven't read many books with Asian characters and Asian settings, so I devoured this one and relished in the many new experiences. The story was well-plotted, too, moving at a satisfying pace and including a few twists I didn't expect. The one struggle I had was with the unusual names. Not being Asian, I had no idea how to pronounce the names of the characters or locations. I didn't realize how much this would bother me, but apparently I do 'verbalize' in my mind as I read. It bothered me so much I looked up Chinese pronunciations on the internet. Once I was satisfied that my version of "Ai Ling" and "Chen Yong" that stumbling block was removed and I devoured the story. (And there are some great food descriptions too!)

I finished reading Cindy Pon’s SILVER PHOENIX around one in the morning last night – I simply couldn’t put it down until I knew what happened to Ai Ling and Chen Yong, her father and the evil Zhong Ye. Despite needing to work on my own book, despite needing to do some lawyering, despite needing to pay attention to the other humans in my life – the canine in my life does not allow for being ignored, so he is not on this list – my nose stayed glued to Pon’s epic tale of magic, mythology, and brutal love until the last word, which if you’re wondering, happens to be “twilight.”Check out the notes I furiously typed at that late hour subsequent to closing the book, needing to get my immediate thoughts down on paper:1) SILVER PHOENIX is epic and awesome and so freaking good. a journey reminiscent of The Odyssey and really, does it get much better than that? 2) the feels, the adventure, the friendship, the unrequited love. it’s too much but you only want more, more, more 3) the badass girl and the boy who lets her be badass, promising always to be at her side – swoon 4) the magic and evil and wonder 5) Chen Yong’s pain of feeling other, being spoken to as if a lesser being, always seeking a place to belong when it’s right under his nose, with Ai Ling – meepI promise you I was not delirious – Silver Phoenix is just as fantastic as classics like The Odyssey and Lord of the Rings and as I turned its pages, it reminded me of the pure joy I feel whenever I read those tales – the escapades and intrigue, the danger lurking around every corner, in every face, the overall genius of the hero’s journey. Silver Phoenix is just all. so. good.But for me, because I am an admitted sucker and sappy romantic at heart – although please, please, please make my lovers total badasses to the end – even more moving and poetic than the journey is Pon’s underlying theme, that wicked slow burn she weaves throughout her novel, of unrequited love.She had me stopping and taking notes and copying passages several times throughout the book:1) when Ai Ling notices Chen Yong’s eyes and immediately wishes she hadn’t 2) “I’m glad I followed you here.” 3) the LOVE LOST TREE – ugh – stop it! – please 4) “Besides, you always had my heart, I just never had yours.” 5) Ai Ling’s memorization of Chen Yong’s letter to her, “the curves and lines of his calligraphy” – dyingAnd this doozie“Ai Ling realized then she would be willing to leave her home, her family, everything to be by his side – and the revelation stunned her…Look back again, she thought, and I will follow you. Instead Ai Ling watched him walk away, with easy grace, until he turned the corner. She shut the heavy wooden door…her chest tight with all the words she had not said…” – just kill me already because you already ripped out my heartAt one point, I got so brave as to tweet Cindy and based on her response, I think she enjoys that slow burn and our suffering for unrequited love. She certainly knows how to write it.Silver Phoenix, Ai Ling, and Chen Yong are going to hold special places in my little bruised and battered heart for a very long time and already have me rushing off to Amazon to order the sequel. #IdidthatGet the book, folks. Now. For real. #thankmelater

Silver Phoenix is the story of Ai Ling, a strong, independent young woman who leaves her home to both escape an unwanted marriage and to find her missing father. A fantasy in a world based on ancient China, Silver Phoenix is filled with adventure, strange creatures, and great characters. Ai Ling is joined on her adventure by a pair of brothers, the strong, serious Chen Yong and his love-crazed younger brother, Li Rong. I found the three characters to be well-written and distinct individuals.World building: Unlike most of the fantasy novels I've read, Silver Phoenix has an Asian setting. It was a refreshing change from your typical pseudo-European world. It was a great to see characters confronted by new and unique gods, demons, and monsters instead of the standard orcs, elves, and ogres (or variants thereof). I loved the author's world-building efforts; her descriptions of architecture, food, clothing, and the environment made the world come alive.Engagement: A very engaging novel, Silver Phoenix definitely keeps the action rolling. It is fast-paced and tightly written. My only serious complaints would be with the rapidity with which Ai Ling's powers developed and the presence of an overly helpful magic item. Other than that, I found myself engrossed in both the story and the world the author created.Writing: The author writes very clear, straightforward prose. I enjoyed her style. Silver Phoenix reads like a blend of historical fiction, fairy tale, and fantasy. Having said that, my knowledge of ancient Chinese history is pretty sketchy and the author has clearly stated that Xia is only based on Chinese culture and folklore - it is not supposed to strictly represent China at any particular time period. The novel was, in every way, professionally written.Impact: Although classified as a young adult novel, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel from an adult perspective. While aimed at a YA audience, some scenes felt very grown up. A few times I felt myself wondering if it was a serious fantasy or a lighter fairy tale. However, these were minor distractions. I loved the characters, there was a lot of action, tension was high throughout, and the world building was outstanding. As soon as I finished Silver Phoenix I immediately downloaded Fury of the Phoenix.

It is surprisingly hard to write light,fluffy fantasy well but Cindy Pon manages it. I'm told that this is the author's debut novel which makes her achievement even more impressive.

Picked this up on a recommendation of some friends and found it absolutely compelling. Cindy Pon takes you on a great adventure in this book. The imagery and themes are gorgeous.