The Phoenix Crown
Ratings8
Average rating3.5
15
Ratings8
Average rating3.5
From bestselling authors Janie Chang and Kate Quinn, a thrilling and unforgettable narrative about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to the glittering palaces of Versailles.
San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace.
His patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but their lives are thrown into turmoil when a devastating earthquake rips San Francisco apart and Thornton disappears, leaving behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined . . . until the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, drawing Gemma and Suling together in one last desperate quest for justice.
Reviews with the most likes.
This was a fun and interesting historical novel set mainly during the days immediately before, during, and after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. An unlikely foursome of women are brought together by a complicated series of events in the days leading up to the earthquake. After the quake and the traumatic events surrounding it, the women separate to try to continue their lives—only to be called back together to find revenge and closure.
I enjoyed the story. The individual experiences of the women were all interesting and enlightening, and the plot was fast-moving. The writing was excellent. My only criticism is that perhaps it tried to do a bit too much—an historical, action, feminist, caper novel? It was a bit overwhelming—but in a good way. I loved it and highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I can appreciate some facets of this novel deeply but at the end of the day, the characters all feel kind of flat to me and lack the depth to make them truly pop against a background of interest/the fires. Some of them especially feel neglected- it just feels clunky throughout the story line. I think the bones of this story were good, but it did not quite live up to the potential.
