The Fire Horse Girl

Feb 15, 2013 Keertana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads, kick-ass-heroines, swoooon, rainy-day-re-reads, debut-author-2013, 2013-favorites

Rating: 4.5 Stars

When it comes to debut novels, I’ve begun to shy away from books. Without naming any names, debut novels more often than not prove to be massive disappointments for me. Of course, they all have gorgeous covers and thrilling synopses, but the ultimate execution of their plots falls disastrously flat. The Fire Horse Girl, however, is one of those few debuts that truly puts every other debut novel to shame. Although I constantly complain that there is a dearth of good historical fi...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, china, favorites, for-review, california, historical, heroine-i-loved, i-learned-something, net-galley, wow-worldbuilding, young-adult

Well this was a nice surprise! This book received a couple of positive reviews from my friends, but only a few read it, and there has not been a ton of hype or blogging activity over this book. And that is a damn shame. Because The Fire Horse Girl is possible my favorite read of 2013 so far. I know, I know, I only gave it 4 stars, but what it does have in minor flaws, it makes up for in originality, creativity, and bad-ass writing.

Jade Moon is the type of protagonist I am always searching for bu...more Well this was a nice surprise! This book received a couple of positive reviews from my friends, but only a few read it, and there has not been a ton of hype or blogging activity over this book. And that is a damn shame. Because The Fire Horse Girl is possible my favorite read of 2013 so far. I know, I know, I only gave it 4 stars, but what it does have in minor flaws, it makes up for in originality, creativity, and bad-ass writing.

Jade Moon is the type of protagonist I am always searching for but rarely find. When the story begins she is in the Chinese village she has grown up in. Jade moon is a Fire Horse girl (fire sign born in the year of the horse) and according to Chinese astrology, this means her family is cursed. If she stays in Guangdong Province, she is doomed to be married to a 4th son bricklayer because that is the best match her family can obtain for her. So when the opportunity arises for her to immigrate to America, she takes it.

And this is just the beginning. The prose is utterly gorgeous and captivating. I loved Jade's voice and characterization. She was strong, a fighter, and determined to stand up for herself in a completely patriarchal society. Which brings me to my next point. The Fire Horse Girl is well-researched and historically accurate. You will not likely enjoy the male characters in this book. As annoying as this is, it is as it should be. Because unfortunately females in China during this time were seen as the lesser sex and had to answer to the men in their lives. I just want to warn any female readers going into this one. That if this is not something you can handle, I would not recommend this book for you.

One other complaint? I didn't much care for the way one plot thread was concluded. I wish I could talk about it, but without giving spoilers, I cannot. If you have read the book though and wish to discuss this with me, I'd be happy to.

This book was rich in atmosphere; each new setting was brilliantly rendered, and the book was exciting enough to keep me flipping from page to page and I never once wanted to put it down. There was a portion of the book towards the halfway point--the immigration section--that was a little slow for me, but I found it interesting enough to keep turning the pages even so. I feel like I learned a lot from this book, and I had really no interest in visiting San Francisco, but now I do. WHOA. I must see Chinatown!

I highly recommend this book to almost any reader. And you guys know how much I love Asian fiction. The ones I have been reading lately have let me down, but not this one. It was fabulous. I would even reread it if I had time. Unfortunately I don't, but I don't think you will be disappointed with this one if you decide to read it. It pretty much blew me away!(less)

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Apr 02, 2013 Experiment BL626 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, historical, netgalley, reviewed

The Fire Horse captured my attention, and this come from a reader who doesn’t like to read historical. Unless it’s part fantasy or mm-romance, neither of which this book was, I pass. What persuaded me was the plot of an Asian-American immigrant’s experience, which immediately made think of myself. Very rarely do I encounter a book with that sort of thing.

+ the heroine and a rant

The writing was accessible, and thus great. Still, the beginning was like a ride on a country road. The blurb advertis...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Rabiah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-event, arrived

Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2...

I'm so glad to say that The Fire Horse Girl lived up to my expectations, and even surpassed them! Once I started it, I was immediately captured by the gorgeous writing and the Asian culture in this novel. While I have read some historical-fiction novels before, I've never really delved into one surrounding Asian culture and tradition. It was really interesting to see how this was so different to, for example, something based in Europe...more Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2...

I'm so glad to say that The Fire Horse Girl lived up to my expectations, and even surpassed them! Once I started it, I was immediately captured by the gorgeous writing and the Asian culture in this novel. While I have read some historical-fiction novels before, I've never really delved into one surrounding Asian culture and tradition. It was really interesting to see how this was so different to, for example, something based in Europe. This novel had it's own elements and style that made it so distinct from any other young adult historical novel that I'd ever read.
Living in Singapore, it's easy to understand and grasp the different concepts of Chinese culture, but there were several aspects which I didn't know about, and didn't even think about until I'd read this book. I didn't know that Chinese immigrants going to America had to go through Angel Island. I knew about Ellis Island, but this one was new to me. While I did expect the bad treatment of Asian immigrants, I was so taken aback with the profound detail in which they were treated. Jade Moon's emotions came through very clearly with the author's descriptions, and as a reader, I felt very empathic towards her as she enters this new, strange land.

At first, I didn't really take to Jade Moon. I found her a little brash and a little too interested in everybody's business. However, I found myself liking her more when she struggles to fend for herself when she arrives at Angel Island and among the tong. She reminds me of Mulan because several bits of this novel's plot matched the story, as well as our heroine's headstrong determination and stubbornness– which she needs to use to bring honor to her family, which she has "cursed" with her birth.
Sterling Promise and Harry are also both great characters. Both had their ups and downs, and I was a little surprised with the way things turned out, but in the end it was truly for the best. Neil was also a great character, as it showed the breakdown of immigrants coming into America from all over the world, as he is from Ireland. It didn't hurt that he was funny as well!

Storytelling is also a major factor in this story. Time and time again I've heard of some Asian myths, but the one which is most prominent in this story– the story of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl– was one which I'd never come across. I loved the story– it's absolutely gorgeous! I also liked the fact that Honeyman produces two different endings with this tale, as it does go with the tradition of storytelling, in which that multiple results and variations occur from one story.
The zodiac is also something that added an interesting element to the story. The concept of the Fire Horse, a zodiac which is pretty rare and only occurs every sixty years, and our main character having been built up around of what she's expected to be, and actually taking on some of the qualities which the Fire Horse is said to have, is really interesting. It also shows how much myth and legend play into their lives, and how much they have belief in them.

The Fire Horse Girl is an amazing adventure, one which had me hooked from the start to the end. Kay Honeyman is amazingly talented, and has written a fabulous debut. She has shown the hardships which Chinese have had to go through in the past, and has brought that with the multiple settings, stories and great characters, which brings this novel to life. I'm definitely looking forward to what she has in store next!

▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Kay Honeyman for providing a copy of The Fire Horse Girl for review and BTS2013! ▪ ▪ ▪(less)

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May 20, 2013 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Well, I got sucked right into this one! I took the kids to the library this morning and picked this up off the shelf. 2 hours later they were begging to go home for lunch and I had to stop reading long enough to check out the book and go home.

I really enjoyed this book. The historical setting was interesting to me, without being a history lesson. I think all of us feel like Jade Moon at least sometimes- that no one understands us and we are different and alone. I loved that she was a strong cha...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bullies, community, cultural-identity, families, friendship, immigration, jobs, languages, romance, travel

While I liked the stubborn, feisty nature of Jade Moon, the book's protagonist, I couldn't help but wonder how likely it would be that a girl from China could behave and speak in the ways that she does in this book. I'm bothered by the American lens through which her determination to have a new life in the United States in 1923 is viewed as well as how she is able to dress as a man and fool everyone around her. While I rooted for her and wanted her to find self-fulfillment, a bright future, and...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reading-challenges, 2013-debuts, historical-fiction, jessica-s-scavnger-hunt-2013, outside-u-s-a, ya-fiction

Why I picked it up: I haven’t read anything about the Chinese immigrant experience.

Jade Moon is a Fire Horse, a sign that comes around once every 60 years and is one of the unluckiest signs in all of the Chinese zodiac, especially for girls. She lives with her father and grandfather, and it is clear her father is trying to make her a marriage match. Not interested in staying in her small village, Jade Moon instead ends up traveling to American with the adopted son of the uncle that left her fam...more

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Feb 28, 2013 LJ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Fire Horse Girl is Kay Honeyman’s first novel for Young Adults. It’s a pretty good story. Young Jade Moon lives in China in the early 1920’s. It is a time when girls were expected to marry and their success in life was measured by how prestigious a match they made and if they then produced sons. Jade Moon dreams of more for herself, but does not know exactly what that would consist of. She does not fit the stereotype for Asian women at that time: docile, silent and graceful. Born under an un...more The Fire Horse Girl is Kay Honeyman’s first novel for Young Adults. It’s a pretty good story. Young Jade Moon lives in China in the early 1920’s. It is a time when girls were expected to marry and their success in life was measured by how prestigious a match they made and if they then produced sons. Jade Moon dreams of more for herself, but does not know exactly what that would consist of. She does not fit the stereotype for Asian women at that time: docile, silent and graceful. Born under an unlucky sign, she is a “fire horse,” someone assumed to be cursed with bad luck that causes disasters for everyone around her. Enter “Sterling Promise.” He is the adopted son of an uncle who abandoned the family to pursue his dream in America. In spite of his name, he is a trickster who does not keep his promises and always looks for ways to turn circumstances to his best advantage. He convinces Jade Moon’s father that they must travel to America and there he will marry Jade Moon, thus taking the burden of her care away from her father and into the hands of a husband.

Things do not go as planned when they reach the U.S. They are detained on Angel Island for many weeks so that the American immigration officials can grill them on their story, making sure they are truly “vetted” as people who have the right to immigrate. This proves difficult because they are traveling under false papers and although Jade Moon and Sterling Promise practiced on the journey over, some of their stories do not agree. Jade Moon’s father’s story is especially problematic. He refused to practice their cover story, deliberately attempting to sabotage their efforts to gain entry into the U.S. He regrets his decision to allow the journey and just wants to return to China.

Eventually, Jade Moon is driven to desperate action. She steals the papers that Sterling Promise managed to obtain by bribery, assumes his identity and takes his place on the ferry boat that takes those that have gained the right to immigrate over to Manhattan Island. Just as they are landing, Jade Moon fears that she will be found out and causes a disturbance, escaping onto the island and into Chinatown, where she promptly gets lost. She is aided by two individuals that are members of a tong, associations originally created to help each other navigate the new land that have devolved into corrupt gangs. She gets recruited as a hatchet man, a guard of the tong.

There’s an Irishman, Neil, who’s Mr. Hon’s right hand man (Mr. Hon is the leader of the tong that Jade Moon joins) who teaches Jade Moon how to fight, eventually discovering her secret identity as a female, and attempts to help Jade Moon escape the tong. He arranges for the police to intervene one day while Jade Moon, Harry (who is Mr. Hon’s son) and another hatchet man, Chin wait for a woman to disembark from the ferry. They will sell this woman into prostitution by way of a false marriage. Jade Moon is supposed to give herself up to the police and they will bring her to the missionary house of Miss Donaldson, a courageous woman who rescues the women sold into prostitution. Instead of doing this, Jade Moon gives up her place to Spring Blossom, a friend from Angel Island who is in fact the girl they were waiting for.

Things get even more complicated when Jade Moon promises Miss Donaldson that she will secretly find the addresses of the prostitution houses so that Miss Donaldson can rescue more women. She enlists the help of Sterling Promise, who she meets again after visiting one of the prostitution houses. Seems he has also become involved in the crime scene of Chinatown.

The story resolves with some tense action scenes. Her fellow hatchetmen discover Jade Moon’s true identity and Sterling Promise arranges to sell her into prostitution as a replacement for the loss of Spring Blossom, but not really because she is hidden in a room where Sterling knows she can escape through a trap door. He has also spread rumors of how unlucky and destructive Jade Moon is as a “fire horse” so no one wants to enter into the required false marriage with her. Neil helps her get away and she goes to the mission house. In the epilogue, Sterling Promise returns a year later and Jade Moon and Sterling Promise rekindle the sparks that have always existed between them, smoldering under all the action. Good story that gets bogged down in the many times Jade Moon’s “fire horse” proclivities get mentioned, and also in the painful romantic dialogue towards the end. However, young adults may be just fine with that, and after all that is who is the audience for this book. (Also, the name of “Sterling Promise” struck me as too obvious.)
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Feb 13, 2013 Corinne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Jade Moon is a fire horse, and in Chinese astrology, it means she is passionate and outspoken - a bit too much so. So much so, in fact, that she has ostracized herself with her bold speaking and boisterious ways. While her village sees her as bad luck and her father wants nothing to do with her, Jade Moon's dreams loom large and impossible.

So when an opportunity to go to America presents itself, it feels like her chance at happiness and freedom has finally come. In 1920s San Fransisco, however,...more

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Feb 06, 2013 jv poore rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: buried-under-books, middle-grade

In China, your astrological sign is a combination of one of the twelve animal signs and an element. A Fire Horse will only appear once in every sixty years. This is a good thing. The Fire amplifies the Horse’s most distasteful traits: stubbornness, selfishness and volatile temper. A Fire Horse girl, particularly one born in the early twentieth century, has little hope of conforming to the expectations held for a Chinese lady.

Jade Moon is a Fire Horse girl. At a blush, she appears spirited, spun...more In China, your astrological sign is a combination of one of the twelve animal signs and an element. A Fire Horse will only appear once in every sixty years. This is a good thing. The Fire amplifies the Horse’s most distasteful traits: stubbornness, selfishness and volatile temper. A Fire Horse girl, particularly one born in the early twentieth century, has little hope of conforming to the expectations held for a Chinese lady.

Jade Moon is a Fire Horse girl. At a blush, she appears spirited, spunky. In today’s world, a female with those traits could be adorable, desirable even. Such is not the case in China in the 1920s. Jade Moon is 17 years old and it is very difficult for her family to arrange a marriage. No one is willing to tolerate her sharp tongue, and, most certainly, no one wants to subject themselves to the Bad Luck she brings.

When stranger, Sterling Promise, appears to speak to her father, of course she makes no effort to curb her brashness. Soon, her father announces that he and Sterling Promise will be venturing to America, and that she would accompany them. Jade Moon knew of the freedom that Americans enjoyed, and the endless opportunities they had. It would have to be better than home.

Jade Moon was wrong. Before even boarding the ship, she became aware of her father and Sterling Promise sharing secrets. She quickly learned not to trust Sterling Promise. The few ladies on the ship told her things that she refused to believe. Her time spent on Angel Island was horrific; her departure brave and bold, and quite crazy. Jade Moon’s determination to make a new life for herself in San Francisco’s Chinatown is courageous and admirable. Her challenges seem insurmountable, but her quick mind and newly acquired skills help her survive. Sterling Promise’s random appearances make survival even more challenging. As Jade Moon plows her way into a new life, she learns that, to achieve true happiness, she will have to begin to trust; she will have to put her heart on line.

The Fire Horse Girl is a fabulously written story. While Jade Moon and Sterling Promise are fictitious characters, many of the details are true. The deplorable conditions, alongside beautiful, heart-wrenching poetry detailed on Angel Island, is real. “Paper families” were created. The Chinese “gangs” existed. Even the stories that Jade Moon loved to hear and to tell are adaptations from various Chinese Folktales. I think that Ms. Honeyman is outstanding in crafting such a fantastic tale around historical facts that are not well-known, but probably should be.
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Jan 27, 2013 Sandy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Like her willful title character, Kay Honeyman demands your attention. From page one of The Fire Horse Girl, you are hopelessly hooked and Jade Moon’s story refuses to release you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Jade Moon is not an entirely likable character. She is impulsive and outright hostile. And while her concerns are well-founded, I often wanted to shut her up for her own good. But it is her tenacious commitment to justice and reckless determination that won me over and allowed Ja...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Honeyman, Kay. The Fire Horse Girl

1 January 2013, Arthur A Levine

Jade Moon is the most troublesome kind of girl to have in 1920s China-- strong willed and adventurous, true to her birth year of the fire horse. With her mother gone, her father struggles to keep her in line, but when he is approached by a friend of his dead brother to go to America, he thinks this might be the answer to Jade Moon's problems. Sterling Promise has the brother's papers to get into the US, but Jade Moon and her fathe...more Honeyman, Kay. The Fire Horse Girl

1 January 2013, Arthur A Levine

Jade Moon is the most troublesome kind of girl to have in 1920s China-- strong willed and adventurous, true to her birth year of the fire horse. With her mother gone, her father struggles to keep her in line, but when he is approached by a friend of his dead brother to go to America, he thinks this might be the answer to Jade Moon's problems. Sterling Promise has the brother's papers to get into the US, but Jade Moon and her father have to memorize the family history for when they will be grilled on Angel Island. After a long sea voyage, the trio arrives in the US, but the officials are not happy with their story and don't want to let them into the country, especially Jade Moon. Women are only brought in from China if they are going to be prostitutes or wives, and Jade Moon finds out that her father has made plans for her to marry. Seeing the plight of a woman she meets while being held at Angel Island, Jade Moon makes the daring decision to escape dressed in Sterling's clothes and plans to make her way to the home of a woman from the ship, Mrs. Ying. She manages to escape, but finds that the Ying family is no longer at the address she was given, and in order to survive, she falls in with a gang! Not sure of what else to do, she works under their guidance for a while, and then finds out that her insider's knowledge will be useful in taking down some gang related houses of prostitution! Finally, Jade Moon's personality works to her advantage.

Strengths: This was a very interesting story of a little explored area of US history. I love the cover, and Jade Moon was a great character. Many times, strong girls are put into historical novels and seem anachronistic, but I thought that the personality was realistic, and the way that Jade Moon reacted to her circumstances was reasonable. I enjoyed this one.

Weaknesses: More of a young adult book, especially when the prostitution plot line arises. Not that there's anything inappropriate, but the book's length and emotional complexity are more suited to high school.(less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Immigration is not a dirty word. And yet, that is how Americans used to imagine Chinese immigrants. They didn't want them in their country and made it extremely difficult at times to enter. So why did people from China still choose to try their hand at becoming an American...opportunities and freedom.

Freedom...that is all Jade Moon could think about. She's lead a cursed life, being a Fire Horse, and has brought her family nothing but shame. When the opportunity to come to America arises, she kno...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Emrys rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, historical-fiction

Luck, Rules, Choices, Destiny, Family, Honor, Shame, Duty, Friendship, Independence, Freedom, Gender Boundaries

This book had a little bit of slow pacing in the first half because the characters are all so guarded. The reader, just like Jade Moon, knows nothing of even those closest to her, and can’t begin to think of who to trust. The inundation in well-researched foreign culture keeps you reading, but the excitement does not really start until she gets off the boat and enters the country as a f...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Rachael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jade Moon is a Fire Horse and much too stubborn, strong-willed, and inquisitive for a girl in a Chinese family. All she wants is to be allowed to be herself, but as long as she remains in her small town in China, she has a duty to marry, even if it seems increasingly unlikely that anyone will want to take her. But then a young, smooth-talking man named Sterling Promise shows up with an opportunity, and soon, Jade Moon finds herself traveling with Sterling Promise and her father to America. This...more Jade Moon is a Fire Horse and much too stubborn, strong-willed, and inquisitive for a girl in a Chinese family. All she wants is to be allowed to be herself, but as long as she remains in her small town in China, she has a duty to marry, even if it seems increasingly unlikely that anyone will want to take her. But then a young, smooth-talking man named Sterling Promise shows up with an opportunity, and soon, Jade Moon finds herself traveling with Sterling Promise and her father to America. This is the chance that Jade Moon has been waiting for, it seems, and she plans to make the most of it. But, as she finds out the hard way, America in 1923 is hardly receptive to Chinese immigrants and that Chinese women in particular are only ever brought to America for two reasons—marriage or prostitution. But Jade Moon isn’t about to give up her only chance at freedom without a fight, and if anyone can make their way in America, it’s a Fire Horse.

The Fire Horse Girl is a book with historical adventure, mystery, and romance, but more than anything, it is the coming of age story of a girl finding her way in an unfamiliar new world. Debut author Honeyman wonderfully blends the richness of the past with more modern sentiments in this story and especially with Jade Moon’s character; the country of China in the 20s is struggling between tradition and modernization, and so is Jade Moon, as she tries to honor her honor her family while also forging her own path. I was initially drawn into this story because of my sympathy for Jade Moon’s family struggles and fiery temper, but my interest soon shifted to the plot as well as things got a lot more dangerous, surprising, and exciting. Though I found the development of the some of the more minor characters less believable, overall I found the story of The Fire Horse Girl a fantastic one full of vivid cultural history, interesting and complex characters, and a thoroughly engaging plot.

The Fire Horse Girl appeals to readers who also liked The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines and Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Oct 12, 2012 Richie Partington rated it 5 of 5 stars

Richie’s Picks: THE FIRE HORSE GIRL by Kay Honeyman, Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine, January 2013, 336p., ISBN: 978-0-545-40310-8

“I was not ignorant of how ridiculous I seemed to people. My feet wandered the village with little purpose other than my own pleasure, my mind constructed ideas that no one seemed to understand, and my heart held hopes that were far beyond my reach. But I could not help my thoughts or my dreams. I watched the wind lead the leaves in a dance, and I wondered if any of them...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Heather K (dentist in my spare time) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley, young-adult, historical-fiction, exploring-a-different-culture, clean-romance

"The Fire Horse Girl" was a very well written YA historical fiction novel. It was my first young adult book in this genre, and I expected something edging the immature side for some reason. I was a bit surprised at the range of emotions that this book covered. There is a lot of sadness in this novel, and the fact that it tells the tale of a real time in Chinese-American history feels very... weighty. This book is one of those sort of depressing tales of both physical and emotional turmoil, but t...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Charlotte (Gypsy Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Gypsy Reviews

As someone who fell in love with Mulan and to this date is still my favourite Disney princess who I look up to, I was thrilled that the Fire Horse Girl was able to deliver the very same magic I felt when I watched Mulan. It’s such an inspiring story that tells you to strive for freedom and the life that you want for yourself. The story feels so close to home as it talks about a Chinese girl who didn’t belong in China and was too Chinese for America. I have felt...more Originally posted at Gypsy Reviews

As someone who fell in love with Mulan and to this date is still my favourite Disney princess who I look up to, I was thrilled that the Fire Horse Girl was able to deliver the very same magic I felt when I watched Mulan. It’s such an inspiring story that tells you to strive for freedom and the life that you want for yourself. The story feels so close to home as it talks about a Chinese girl who didn’t belong in China and was too Chinese for America. I have felt like I never belonged either being a Chinese but born in England and then coming to Singapore when I was 6. I’m not British nor am I fully Singaporean and you can’t say I’m from China because I was never born or educated there. I’m neither here nor there, a little like Jade Moon. But despite that difference, Jade Moon still fights (not literally) her way into America to live the life that she wants.

Jade Moon is stubborn, fearless, willful, full of passion and is just entirely her own person. She refuses to let her life be dictated for her and knows she has to escape before she is forced into a life she does not want to live. Despite the fact that everyone says she is a curse because she was born a Fire Horse, she doesn’t hide who she is. You cannot help but admire Jade Moon’s fire within her. She’s a heroine you can easily look up to and she’s someone you want little girls to role model after.

With such a touchy subject about two countries and immigration, it is usually very hard to write a novel where you don’t brand one of the countries as the ‘enemy’ and particularly in this instance, you would expect America to be upheld as the ‘dream country’ but Honeyman was able to keep it neutral. Despite the promise of freedom in America, things aren’t as dandy as they seem and especially for the Chinese, with the Americans not actually wanting to admit Chinese into their land. With that, it might have been better to stay in China. Honeyman was able to show the two sides and the benefits and cons of both countries.

I was pleased to find that the romance was kept mellow, I love me some fair share of romance but it wouldn’t have complied with the Chinese culture because Chinese, Asians in general, are not very public with intimacy. It’s something very private that should only be indulged to the two involved and in those times, a man and a woman couldn’t do anything until they were married. Honeyman was able to deliver those heartfelt moments between Jade Moon and Sterling Promise very well, even without any saucy scenes, you could feel the emotions stirring between the two.

The writing was just beautiful, I really wish I could have highlighted some of the passages and Honeyman just made it so utterly Chinese even in English. I actually wished Honeyman provided some of them in its original context in Chinese so I could have fully appreciated the full beauty of the proverbs. It would have added a bit more authenticity to the novel and stir some curiosity into the readers towards Chinese culture.

The events in the story are absolutely heart-wrenching, it truly hits you when you realise the predicament women were in during those times. How men treated them like nothing and easily got them married off or sold to a brothel into prostitution. The Fire Horse Girl also reminds you how much the Chinese value the family name and how important family is in terms of reputation. One person’s rash decision could mean the downfall for the entire family and future generations. It gives you an insight over how Chinese families worked in the 20s.

I couldn’t put The Fire Horse Girl down towards the end, I just had to finish it and not because of the action or anything, just because the story was so good I had to get to the end. I stayed up for this and I do not regret it at all. It’s a truly fantastic novel that I think everyone should read. This definitely is one of my top reads of 2013 and I strongly recommend it to everyone.(less)

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Jan 29, 2013 Alise (Readers in Wonderland) rated it 4 of 5 stars

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This review and more at Readers In Wonderland
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Full formatting of this review shows on the blog. ^

THE FIRE HORSE GIRL tells a richer, deeper, story that the colorful cover and adventurous synopsis hint at.This is more MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA than MULAN. The strength in this novel is really supplied through the history of Chinese immigration to America, with an engaging plot geared toward young adults added.

Jade Moon is "cursed," being t...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Bluerose's Heart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, netgalley, clean, asian, young-adult-12-and-up, young-reader-8-12

I'm not the best at reading descriptions before I pick up a book. I judged this one based on its cover, which isn't unusual for me, sadly! I thought it looked like a fun, contemporary story and decided to give it a shot. Plus, it's a goal of mine to read more "cultural" books, especially those with covers that haven't been "whitewashed". Apparently, those books have a harder time making it these days, so it's important to show some support!

This ended up not being a fun, contemporary story, but I...more I'm not the best at reading descriptions before I pick up a book. I judged this one based on its cover, which isn't unusual for me, sadly! I thought it looked like a fun, contemporary story and decided to give it a shot. Plus, it's a goal of mine to read more "cultural" books, especially those with covers that haven't been "whitewashed". Apparently, those books have a harder time making it these days, so it's important to show some support!

This ended up not being a fun, contemporary story, but I still enjoyed it. "Enjoy" probably isn't the best word to describe my reading experience with this book, though. The Fire Horse Girl takes place in the 1920s. It details the journey of a Chinese family to America, paying close attention to Jade Moon...aka "The Fire horse Girl". It was amazing to see the mistreatment of the Chinese from both their fellow Chinese to Americans and other immigrants from different countries. They were treated like scum, to say the least. I appreciated the way the author handled the tough topics, like prostitution, "tongs"(Chinese mobs) and other general mistreatment. There were never great details, but I still got a good look at just how heartbreaking their situation was. She handled it in a way that I think this is a great book for even younger readers.

Jade Moon lives in a time and place where women are to be quiet and keep their eyes lowered. Since Jade Moon is a "Fire Horse" girl(the worst kind of girl there is, according to Chinese tradition), she finds these restrictions difficult. She prefers to let her opinions be known, and bad luck supposedly follows close on her heels. She's almost 17, which means she should have already been married, which is not something she wants considering her prospects. She's determined that if she can only get to America, her problems will be solved.

Due to the cover, I don't think it should come as a surprise that Jade Moon disguises herself as a boy at one point. Even though this part doesn't come until halfway or more through the story, I still don't feel like I'm giving any spoilers. Again, because of the cover. I will keep quiet about how and why, though. Girls who disguise themselves as boys(in order to survive...not simply for fun) are some of my favorite story plots! I really enjoyed this part of the book, and liked getting to see the relationships she was able to form during her time in disguise.

I'm also a fan of fairy tales, so I really enjoyed hearing some of the Chinese fairy tales that were included in the book. There was close attention paid to "The Weaver Girl" story. I'm assuming this story was a traditional Chinese story, as opposed to the author's imagination, but I still enjoyed it either way.

Overall, The Fire Horse Girl is a great peek into the world of Chinese immigrants during the 1920s, and I don't hesitate to recommend it, even for young readers.

Content: There's no profanity. There is some violence, but as I mentioned above, the author doesn't go into great detail. There's fighting, guns, mention of prostitution/brothels, poking/prodding/nudity during "check-ups" to get into America, etc.

*I was provided an e-ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. (less)

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May 27, 2013 Ji Mei ^_^ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure-fiction, historical-fiction, real-life-fiction

This book seemed the typical heroine story where a girl who is stubborn, fiery, and outspoken runs to find freedom and in the process finds love, yet somewhat hates the guy at the same time. Yes, it is a typical plot, but in this book, it played out differently. I like how the heroine, Jade Moon, didn't get side-tracked with love. She didn't suddenly loose her brains and fall for a guy she hates/loves. I also liked how the author went over Angel Island and that part of immigration. There were a...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Aimee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-recommendations

"The Fire Horse Girl" was a nice surprise. Jade Moon is a strong female character; while she doesn't always make the best decisions, readers will enjoy her spirit. Based on the cover of the book, I was expecting this to be kind of like a modern day Mulan, but I was happy that the main focus of the book was on Jade Moon's journey to America. I had not heard of Angel Island and was very interested in learning about this aspect of our history. I knew that Chinese came to America and landed in Calif...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Lola rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebooks

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I requested this ARC from Netgalley. What I discovered was a rich historical fiction novel on Chinese immigration into America in the early 20's. Wow. I can honestly say that I have not read any other book like The Fire Horse Girl before. I almost immediately connected to Jade Moon. Not understood, not willing to compromise herself, Jade Moon makes her own path in life, determined to find herself, no matter the cost. Jade Moon is fierce, intelligent, kind,...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: appropriate-for-middle-school, appropriate-for-high-school, cautionary-tale, foreign-international, gender, historical-fiction

I really enjoyed this tale of a spirited young woman in a time and place(s) that did not appreciate willful women. Jade Moon gets the chance to emmigrate from China to America. In the 1920s. She faces judgementalism at home because of her personality. She faces prejudice from the Americans who don't want to allow Chinese people into the US. (In the back there is a note about how the Chinese were treated prejudicially in regard to Ammerican immigrants.) Eventually, Jade Moon gets to the US, but o...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Sapir rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, historical-fiction, blog-reviewed, beautiful-covers

For this review and more visit Diary of a Wimpy Teen Girl

Book Description:

This book is set in 1923 and tells the story of Jade Moon, a 17-year-old Chinese girl. Jade is stubborn and bold. She can't fill her family's expectations - they want to marry her off, but nobody wants to marry a girl like her. She is sick of the unfair treatment she gets only because of her being a woman.

When Sterling Promise, a young man, comes to their village to offer her father to immigrate with him to America, Jade M...more

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May 27, 2013 Isabella rated it 4 of 5 stars

I decided to read this book because my mum picked it out for me from the library. This book fits into the box of 'A book that teaches you about a culture other than your own'. Because it is about a girls experience as a Chinese immigrant entering America. My favourite quote from this book is “You can love someone as many ways as water falls from the sky. Sometimes it falls with thunder and lightning; other times it falls silently. Sometimes it falls as cool snow, and other times hard balls of ic...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Luna rated it 5 of 5 stars

If I could get away with just saying: READ IT! on this review I really would because I absolutely adored The Fire Horse Girl. Definitely my favourite book of 2013 so far.

It had everything I wanted; inspiring protagonist, amazing storytelling, vivid scenery and it was wrapped up in the nice packaging of really good writing by Kay Honeyman.

Let me start with Jade Moon, born under the worst sign (for a girl) of the Chinese Zodiac she is cursed in the eyes of her village. Her mother died shortly afte...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Bobbie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, ahmazing, awesome-ya-fiction, in-love-with-these-characters, historical-fiction, i-need-it, i-think-i-m-in-love, so-beautimous, just-beautiful, love-love-love, made-me-think, perfection, simply-adored, shinyyyyy-covers, ya, yesssssssss

The beginning of this book isn't fast paced at all. It's slow, but beautiful and it gives you time to really connect with Jade Moon. For me the beginning was character driven.

However, the last half contains a good deal of action, humor, and suspense as Jade Moon finds her way in the world. I'm honestly not sure which part I liked better! Her antics in the new world or her antics back home in China.

I loved the way Kay Honeyman threaded Chinese heritage and traditions through the story. She made e...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Cassi aka Snow White Haggard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013, galleys

The Fire Horse Girl is just my type of book. It's a story about a girl who doesn't fit in the box where society puts her, she's too loud, too vocal and just too much to be a typical Chinese housewife. Born in the year of the Fire Horse, the worst possible year for a girl to be born, Jade Moon has all the vices - the temper, the stubbornness, the selfishness and the strength.

Because of her unfortunate birth, she's left with little hope in China except being married off against her will to whoever...more The Fire Horse Girl is just my type of book. It's a story about a girl who doesn't fit in the box where society puts her, she's too loud, too vocal and just too much to be a typical Chinese housewife. Born in the year of the Fire Horse, the worst possible year for a girl to be born, Jade Moon has all the vices - the temper, the stubbornness, the selfishness and the strength.

Because of her unfortunate birth, she's left with little hope in China except being married off against her will to whoever is stupid enough to live with a Fire Horse girl. So when a stranger shows up at her family farm with a money-making scheme that will take him, her father and Jade Moon to America she refuses to be left behind.

The way Jade Moon describes America, what America was to early immigrants, enchanted me. America was more than just a country with lots of fertile land. To Jade Moon and many others America was hope itself.

"Why couldn't I tell them how hard it was to live in China, how people broke off pieces of you to make you fit? Why didn't they want to know what it was like being a Fire Horse, full of strength and power that only destroyed everything I touched?"

Things are not as easy as Jade Moon had hoped. But thankfully she's a Fire Horse, strong and stubborn, and she's willing to fight for every inch of independence she can find. That's how Jade Moon ends up masquerading as a boy and accidentally joining the Chinatown mob.

Jade Moon carries this book. She's smart, feisty and always true to herself. She's willing to take risks to get what she wants and to help her friends. She's imperfect (no perfect person ends up joining the chinese mob). She's a very human mix of selfish and selfless, just a girl trying to find her way and carve out a place of her own in the world.

At first the book seemed to move slowly. I wasn't clear on where the story or plot was going. But once everything started happening, I was in love. This book has so much going for it, from a strong believable main character, to diversity (I know people look for that) and a unique slice of history.

At times the writing was quite poetic, yet still simple to read. Some passages were thoughtful and beautiful but rather than bogging down the story, they add layers and depth to Jade Moon's character. Sometimes books make immigration or history feel foreign, but The Fire Horse Girl found the parts of Jade Moon that were universal and created a really accessible story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. (less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Kristina Cardoza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

SUMMARY:
The Fire Horse Girl by Kay Honeyman is an awesome historical read! In 1923, Jade Moon is a 16 year old Fire Horse girl who longs to feel loved and accepted for who she is--after all, Fire Horses are very stubborn, strong-willed and confident. When Jade Moon gets a chance to travel to America, she places her dreams a little too far than what she is sure will happen, and she ends up having to dress like a boy in order to get in. Will the Fire Horse girl be able to hide her identity long e...more

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