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Silver Phoenix (Kingdom of Xia #1)

by Cindy Pon (Goodreads Author)

3.70 · rating details · 1,230 ratings · 362 reviews

No one wanted Ai Ling. And deep down she is relieved--despite the dishonor she has brought upon her family--to be unbetrothed and free, not some stranger's subservient bride banished to the inner quarters.

But now, something is after her. Something terrifying--a force she cannot comprehend. And as pieces of the puzzle start to fit together, Ai Ling begins to understand t

...more

Library Binding, 338 pages

Published May 14th 2009 by Greenwillow Books (first published April 17th 2009)

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Feb 19, 2011

Jillian -always aspiring- rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Those who are interested in reading a Chinese fairy tale

Shelves: covers-i-love, titles-i-love, could-have-been-better, should-have-loved-it-but-didn-t, disappointing-books, 2011-reads

Confession: Something must be wrong with me since I kept expecting Mushu to show up in this book.

. . .

Yes, you read right. I meant this Mushu:

description

. . .Okay, okay, I know what you're thinking. 'Jillian's trying to tell me that this book is a bit like Mulan, right?' Sort of. Admittedly, I'm a tough critic when it comes to Asian-inspired stories: actually, my imagination grew and blazed on the tinder of Japanese manga, many of which are inspired by J...more

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Feb 08, 2011

Nikki rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-and-ya, fantasy, dragons

Up to a point, this review shouldn't be majorly spoilery about events (although it will be about themes). I'll let you know just before I do the spoilery part.

I had honestly never heard of Cindy Pon until the day before yesterday, and I might not have picked up her book to read even if I had. Mostly because I'm not supposed to be buying new books at the moment, admittedly. But inkstone's post about it, here, a post about the whitewashing of the covers for this book, caught my eye. Yo...more

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Jun 09, 2010

Kristi (The Story Siren) added it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, signed-books

Silver Phoenix was a fascinating novel. I literally could not stop reading it once I started. It was beautifully written and I was completely captivated by the world and characters that Cindy created.

I thought Ai Ling was a very well developed protag. She was impulsive, courageous, yet shy, selfish, and yet compassionate. I wish we would have been divulged into the entire history of Silver Phoenix. I want to know more about her!

I loved the creatures that were presented i...more

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Mar 18, 2009

Ellen rated it

· review of another edition

Silver Phoenix is beyond exciting and exotic! It is original and not afraid to push the line. In Chen Yong, Cindy has created the perfect hero. One that any reader could easily fall for. But in Ai Ling, Cindy has truly outdone herself. Ai Ling is smart, tough, funny, sweet, brave, and absolutely lovable. What I love about her character is that she is young and therefore headstrong and will make rash decisions, but she is not stupid and so even if she makes a wrong choice, she rethinks and ultima...more

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Apr 05, 2009

Yan rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Silver Phoenix definitely was a fantasy read. The way it was written made me think of an RPG (role-playing game). Granted I have not played a single video game in my entire life but I like to watch others play. It was set up as a fight monster A, talk to townspeople, fight monster B, eat and rest, and so forth until you fight final boss. And let me tell you, they ate quite frequently and was told in great detail. After a while even I started to get hungry, mostly because I have eaten many of the...moreSilver Phoenix definitely was a fantasy read. The way it was written made me think of an RPG (role-playing game). Granted I have not played a single video game in my entire life but I like to watch others play. It was set up as a fight monster A, talk to townspeople, fight monster B, eat and rest, and so forth until you fight final boss. And let me tell you, they ate quite frequently and was told in great detail. After a while even I started to get hungry, mostly because I have eaten many of the food described so I can imagine it, and ended skimming through those scenes. And there was many of those scenes skimmed…Kill final boss, gigantic scene where spirits and sparkly lights come out of said boss’s mouth. Heroes or heroine in this case goes back home after completing her goal.

Cindy Pon had a never ending supply of mystical creatures! Some were interesting, others disturbing, but they were all, how should I say this, unique. But some scenes had me twitching like a rabid bunny.

“The Life Seeker can easily be distinguished by the extra breast on her sternum. The tips are dark blue, as her tongue and womanhood. Legend has it that the extra breast was given to replace the heart she does not have…” This is also a creature that wears a sheer top so you really cannot miss the other “thing” sticking out…Thankfully that is about the worst of the demons.

Another twitching scene: ‘“Don’t worry, Ai Ling. My manhood may be sitting in a jar, but I can still satisfy you in every way…” I may not be a guy, but this still makes me cringe and uncomfortable. Speaking of awkwardness, this book talks about rape and sex so if are not comfortable or allowed to read about such topics, then I suggest ask permission or skip those scenes. It is only a few short scenes, but a disclaimer can never hurt anyone.

This was a fast-paced book that took you all over the lands! From country side to country side, to the heavens and below, the reader embarks on the journey with Ai Ling. The tales were riveting and the details and explanations were exceptionally acute. Sometimes being more of the focal point than the actual plot.

Ai Ling and the rest of the characters took some time to get used to. She was a bit stubborn and naïve but later learned to…tolerate?

What I would have wished for the more details of Silver Phoenix, Ai Ling is the reincarnation of her. I think it would be a great idea if she wrote a sequel/prequel type of book told in Silver Phoenix’s point of view. It would clear up a lot of questions as well as provide another fascinating read.

Also this may be an ARC issue of not, but towards the end, Ai Ling’s father talks about Chen Yong’s past. There is a sudden shift of point of views that took a while to figure out and by the time I did, it went back to third person. You know, with the he’s/she’s instead of I’s, either the editors missed some quotations marked or they did notice this fumble.

Overall: I hope to see some type of sequel to this gorgeously written novel. (less)

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Jan 18, 2009

Sarah MacLean rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, debs2009

Ok...the back copy of SILVER PHOENIX references Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which is one of my favorite movies of all time...so I had extremely high hopes for this one. And Cindy Pon delivers. Ai Ling is an amazing character, I can't decide which I want to do more--be her BFF or hire her to be my bitchin' bodyguard. There's a perfectly vile villain and a rich, wonderfully built world that sucks you in. And can we talk about Chen Yong? And how much I love him? He's hawt. And tough. Which happ...more

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Mar 31, 2009

Margo Kelly rated it

· review of another edition

I'm a sucker for cool covers and I thought this cover was really cool.

In a time period when women were told what to do and when to do it - this book gives us an interesting character that is rebellious and heads out on her own to save her father. She comes to discover that she has unique powers that allow her to do some amazing things. She hooks up with another character who does not fit into the sterotypical ancient Chinese mold. Together, they battle evil and attempt to save the re...moreI'm a sucker for cool covers and I thought this cover was really cool.

In a time period when women were told what to do and when to do it - this book gives us an interesting character that is rebellious and heads out on her own to save her father. She comes to discover that she has unique powers that allow her to do some amazing things. She hooks up with another character who does not fit into the sterotypical ancient Chinese mold. Together, they battle evil and attempt to save the reincarnated lives of many souls. The adventure and action scenes in this book are fun to read.

Cindy Pon does an excellent job of describing all of the foods and meals the characters get to enjoy in the book, however, I wish she did just as great of a job describing the time period and the setting of the book.

I am such a dunce, that when I read the beginning of the book and saw that a character rode in a "sedan" - I thought that meant she rode in a car. So, I was confused about the time period of the story for most of the book until another "sedan" was described, and I realized it was not a car, but something that was carried by other people.

Also, not knowing much about the ancient Chinese lifestyle, I wish the locations were described better. The mystical locations were described wonderfully, but I wish the realistic locations were pictured better for me.

There was not a pretty bow at the end. I'm not sure if it was left open for a sequel or just left open to keep you wondering for a few days. But, I wish the ending would have wrapped up the relationship better between Ai Ling and Chen Yong.

Finally, I always like to rate a book based on language, sex, and violence - because these are things that I consider - especially when recommending books to my teenage kids. The language was totally fine. The voilence was not offensive. There were a lot of sexual references and one small "almost" sex scene. I don't think it was too much for an older teenage girl to read, but I certainly wouldn't want my boys to read this book because it describes the female anatomy quite often.

Again, I think the sexual references would have been more appropriate if the setting and time period had been better established. I know it may be assumed that most people understand there were concubines and arranged marriages in ancient China (AND that women were objectified rather than valued as individuals with rights) - but not everyone knows this.(less)

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Dec 18, 2009

dioscurio rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 1-owned, fantasy

Wow, banyak mitos dan legenda cina yg diexpose -- dan bukan yg umum2 doang kayak naga dan phoenix -- tapi mahluk2 mitologi aneh kayak cewek-ular, cewek-penggoda-bepayudara-tiga, manusia-cacing, kesurupan-ala-cina, dan masih banyak lagi deh..

Universe yg dibangun juga berdasar riset yg memuaskan, dari cara berpakaian, makanan sampe adat pernikahan (dan buku-penyatuan-dua-sejoli sejenis kamasutra, hihi)

Petualangannya seru, membuat penasaran dan sukses membuat gw nggak berent...more

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Aug 09, 2011

Estara Swanberg rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: people who would enjoy dipping into non-European fantasy, especially if they haven't done so a lot

Shelves: ebook, read-in-2011

Well, I was glad to have read it but I don't think it's a reread for me. It was most convincing to me when the author dwelled on the dialogue between the people sharing the adventure and when she lovingly described the food ^^ - being a long-time manga reader and anime watcher the shiny bits (the descriptions of the monsters, of the different world, of the fight scenes) were probably not as polished and detailed as I'm used to.

Ai Ling went at things a bit too unquestioningly for me ...more

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Jul 29, 2010

indri rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasia

#2010-67#

Awalnya saya pikir ini cerita fantasy oriental sepeti Dragon Keeper, perjalanan dan petualangan anak perempuan. Jalan ceritanya sih menarik, tapi latar belakang yang tidak jelas membuat saya bingung.

Perjalanan Ai Ling dan Chen Yong melewati berbagai tempat dan menemukan berbagai lawan yang bisa mereka hadapi adalah plot standar penceritaan. Yah, seperti review teman-teman yang lain, ada benang merah yang hilang dalam cerita ini. Silver Phoenixnya sendiri yang hi...more

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Feb 15, 2010

e.c.h.a rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to e.c.h.a by: Mas Haikal

Shelves: fantasi, milik-sendiri, petualangan, sejarah-budaya, sedang-dipinjam

Mmmmm...where do I begin....

OK bagaimana kalau di mulai dengan satu hal yang membuat saya harus mengeluarkan liur. Kenapa? Karena pendeskripsian makanan di dalam buku ini yang bener-bener bikin "muka pengen" serasa makanan tersebut benat-benar dihidangkan di depan muka saya. Tokoh utamanya Ai Ling sangat-sangat menikmati dan mencintai makanan, bahkan saat Ia makan manisan saja bisa membuat saya juga meneteskan liur. Belum kalau Ai Ling sedang kelaparan dan bisa menemukan ma...more

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Apr 13, 2010

Natalie (Mindful Musings) rated it

· review of another edition

Silver Phoenix was entirely different than what I expected, but in a good way. I’ve always been intrigued by authors who manage to incorporate fantasy into history—especially when it’s obvious that a lot of research has gone into making sure that history is correct.

The word that immediately comes to my mind to describe Silver Phoenix is “unique.” Not only do I feel that the historical fantasy genre holds an untapped wealth of ideas, but I also think that the publishing world is in need...moreSilver Phoenix was entirely different than what I expected, but in a good way. I’ve always been intrigued by authors who manage to incorporate fantasy into history—especially when it’s obvious that a lot of research has gone into making sure that history is correct.

The word that immediately comes to my mind to describe Silver Phoenix is “unique.” Not only do I feel that the historical fantasy genre holds an untapped wealth of ideas, but I also think that the publishing world is in need of some fresh voices. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of GREAT books out there, but when you read as much as I do, few books really stand out after awhile.

Silver Phoenix had a lot of what I love in books—excellent writing, good plot development, and (what I found to be EXTREMELY refreshing), characters that were real. And for once, the entire book didn’t revolve entirely around two teens suddenly realizing that they were desperately and irrevocably “in love” (quotes are there for a reason, guys) with each other. ***SLIGHT SPOILER*** Not to say that there wasn’t romantic tension, because there definitely was. And I’m not going to say that I don’t want the two main characters to get together eventually, because I definitely do. ***END SLIGHT SPOILER*** It was nice to see characters who hadn’t found their “soul mates” (again, quotes) by page 75. I don’t mind romance (in fact, I tend to like it quite a bit), but characters who get together so incredibly quickly tend to make me think of the relationship as cheap and superficial.

I was really impressed to find that Silver Phoenix is Cindy Pon’s debut novel. Wow! Silver Phoenix ranks high on my list regardless, but to know that this is the author’s first published book makes me respect the novel even more. A lot of times, I find that debut authors take a little time to find their own voice and ideas, but Pon jumped right in with a beautiful piece of work. I’m definitely excited to see what she has planned for the future! (And I heard there’s a sequel in the works. Yay)!

Silver Phoenix is an excellent debut novel with a unique approach, realistic characters, and a good writing style. (less)

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Apr 13, 2011

Margaret rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-and-ya-fiction, fantasy-and-science-fiction, poc-50-book-challenge, authors-op

Ai Ling is supposed to be getting married, as a good daughter should. But at the dinner that's meant to seal her betrothal, her prospective mother-in-law publicly rejects her, ruining her chances for a good marriage. In order to escape a bad one, Ai Ling journeys to the Emperor's court at the Palace of Fragrant Dreams to seek her father. Along the way, she meets Chen Yong, who has a quest of his own. Their quests are made more challenging by the new and mysterious power emerging within Ai Ling a...more

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Sep 10, 2009

Jackie "the Librarian" rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, youngadult, magic

This is a decent fantasy set in ancient China (here called Xia) that incorporates demons and other folkloric elements into this quest tale. Seventeen-year-old Ai Ling's father was once a high-ranking official at the emperor's court. Because of his role in shielding a love affair between one of the emperor's concubines and a foreign scholar, he was forced to leave in disgrace.

Now, he has been called back to the court, and has not returned. It is up to Ai Ling to rescue him from the e...moreThis is a decent fantasy set in ancient China (here called Xia) that incorporates demons and other folkloric elements into this quest tale. Seventeen-year-old Ai Ling's father was once a high-ranking official at the emperor's court. Because of his role in shielding a love affair between one of the emperor's concubines and a foreign scholar, he was forced to leave in disgrace.

Now, he has been called back to the court, and has not returned. It is up to Ai Ling to rescue him from the evil forces holding him there, aided by her unusual ability to read minds, and the jade pendant her father gave her which has protective abilities and a variety of powers. Too many powers for the good of the book, actually. It becomes a deus ex machine, saving the day over and over again.

Along the road, she is joined by Chen Long, a young man of mixed heritage. His past is intertwined with Ai Ling's, which readers will figure out immediately, but the characters will not discover until the end. Together they battle the demons that Ai Ling's adversaries have sent against her, and also accept the help of goddesses on whose side they are fighting.

I was surprised by the big climactic battle between Ai Ling and her father's adversary, because of the sexually graphic nature of the encounter. This, for me, places the book squarely in young adult territory, and I wouldn't hand this to elementary age kids.

I wish Ai Ling would have relied less on the pendant, and more on her own strengths to survive her journey, or even that she had to figure out how to use the pendant's magic to make it work for her. As it was, she was a bit too passive as a heroine for my tastes. For a more self-reliant heroine, I recommend Tamora Pierce's "Alanna" books. There's no character development here, just quest with a side of mild romance. But because of the way the book leaves Ai Ling's and Chen Long's relationship unresolved, I expect a sequel.
Not bad, I enjoyed the Chinese setting and the unfamiliar demons and goddesses, but not great either. I give this one a shrug.
WashYARG book.(less)

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Apr 04, 2009

Barry added it · review of another edition

Hurray for non-Western fantasy...we need more of it! Really liked this, though I could quibble with the ending, which I found a bit unsatisfying...but I suspect there's a sequel in the works. Give this to fans of Shannon Hale.

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Aug 01, 2009

Books written by POC added it · review of another edition

Silver Phoenix has many pleasures. The descriptions are vivid and clear; Ai Ling is real, neither "feisty" (although one person calls her that) nor constantly heroic. She is not a trained warrior; she is, however, slowly growing in mindreading (a very mixed blessing), and carrying a knife blessed by a monk. She's no Mary Sue -- she is not strikingly lovely, she has a temper, and she sometimes abuses her mindreading powers. The world itself is a treasure for me: Ai Ling's alt!Chi...more

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Jul 02, 2011

Maggie Desmond-O'Brien rated it

· review of another edition

I always approach books by folks I follow on Twitter with more than a little trepidation. I've usually heard so much about their writing process, and have seen the "man behind the curtain," if you will, that it takes away some of the joy of a good story. Also, there's always that lingering question in the back of your mind. What if it just plain sucks?

Well, thankfully, Silver Phoenix didn't suck. At all. Being the first full-on frontal fantasy I've read in awhile - the g...moreI always approach books by folks I follow on Twitter with more than a little trepidation. I've usually heard so much about their writing process, and have seen the "man behind the curtain," if you will, that it takes away some of the joy of a good story. Also, there's always that lingering question in the back of your mind. What if it just plain sucks?

Well, thankfully, Silver Phoenix didn't suck. At all. Being the first full-on frontal fantasy I've read in awhile - the genre seems to have been almost entirely replaced by the paranormal - it took me awhile to find my stride. Learning an entirely new world is always more difficult than learning one you almost know. But as soon as I moved past the first few chapters, I was completely swept up in Cindy Pon's incredible world. And a burning question sat on the tip of my tongue. Why, exactly, isn't there more Chinese-inspired fantasy? Or Asian-inspired fantasy in general? The success of shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender (if you ignore the abomination of a movie) surely demonstrates that there's a market, right? Who doesn't love reading about dragons and goddesses and places with names like the Palace of Fragrant Dreams? Well. I guess that's a post for another day, but I, for one, found it refreshing to read fantasy with nary an elf nor orc in sight.

Also, the food. Oh my dear sweet goodness, the food. Pon's descriptions border on pornographic for foodies like me, and I turned the last page wanting decent Chinese food SO FREAKING BAD. (I'm still waiting, by the way. All we have around here are really crummy Americanized buffets with Jello and chocolate pudding as the primary offerings.)

Anyway, beyond just food, though that was definitely where it stood out the most, Pon's descriptions made this book for me. Her prose and character development left a little more to be desired - (highlight to read spoiler) I was really, really pissed at how much Ai Ling wants to bring back Li Rong from the dead when that's obviously a stupid idea, and I felt like Zhong Ye's death was hugely anticlimactic - but honestly, I needed a good fantasy read so badly that I didn't really care. Fantasy is rarely about the writing or characters, anyway. Both were decent enough to give us a gorgeous world, and that's what really matters here. I can't wait to return to it in Fury of the Phoenix! Four out of five stars.(less)

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May 21, 2011

Cyndy Aleo rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ya, fantasy

My first exposure to Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia was via blogs: The publisher had changed the cover of her novel, taking the obviously Asian-inspired, gorgeous cover art and replacing it with a more trendy and generic black cover.

I'm still sort of angry on the behalf of all of us for that change.

There are trends in young adult fiction at the moment: paranormal creatures; sweet smart love stories ...

Silver Phoenix is none of those things, an...more

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Apr 16, 2011

Ashley Poston rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: blog

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 12, 2011

Candace rated it

· review of another edition

This is a fantasy book and I love fantasy. But sometimes things get overly descriptive or are difficult to understand. Not this one! It starts off feeling a bit like a historical fiction taking place in China. Now most people know that China is full of myths and superstitions so when Ai Ling starts seeing and experiencing odd things it just fit perfectly. It was hard for her to believe, but she'd read about them and she seemed quite accepting of them and that's how it felt it should be. We...moreThis is a fantasy book and I love fantasy. But sometimes things get overly descriptive or are difficult to understand. Not this one! It starts off feeling a bit like a historical fiction taking place in China. Now most people know that China is full of myths and superstitions so when Ai Ling starts seeing and experiencing odd things it just fit perfectly. It was hard for her to believe, but she'd read about them and she seemed quite accepting of them and that's how it felt it should be. We discovered things as she did and I could picture it all so perfectly! The author says that this is a fictional world but she took many things from Chinese myths, customs and history.
This book had a soft feel. Does that make sense? It wasn't full of sharp corners and was never hard to read. I didn't have this need to look away and breathe for a minute like I do in so many intense books. It was a different kind of intense. But was just the way I like it!
The descriptions were just perfect! Maybe because I already had a picture in my head of the Asia that I've seen, all greenery and beauty, but even when things went for fantastical it was clear in my mind what it all looked like. So she did the descriptions in a way that I was never bored and could still picture it all well.
I loved the characters! Ai Ling was so brave and although she started out knowing nothing she grew quickly as she came to realize she would have to toughen up to survive and to find her father. She had an amazing ability that I really loved. It was unlike anything I've read before and the way it was used in the story was perfect!
Chen Yong was also a great character. He was what so many of us end up loving in a male character. He was kick butt and strong of character. He was accepting of things in a way that still seemed realistic.
The entire story had such a different feel to it but it pulled me in immediately and kept me entranced the entire time. It was refreshing to have something so different, but yet so beautiful to read. And beautiful it was! I very highly recommend picking this book up. You won't regret it!(less)

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Apr 04, 2011

Jamie rated it

· review of another edition

Wow. I typically don't read a lot of fantasy. I'm not sure why exactly but I guess I thought it wouldn't do much for me. I was wrong. Silver Phoenix was infused with action, magical elements, vivid descriptions and a slice of romantic tension. I could not put this one down and found myself reading it on my Nook while I was stuck in traffic. The writing was phenomenal and Pon created such a believable world with all the mythical and magical elements blended in. I was completely enthralled by the ...moreWow. I typically don't read a lot of fantasy. I'm not sure why exactly but I guess I thought it wouldn't do much for me. I was wrong. Silver Phoenix was infused with action, magical elements, vivid descriptions and a slice of romantic tension. I could not put this one down and found myself reading it on my Nook while I was stuck in traffic. The writing was phenomenal and Pon created such a believable world with all the mythical and magical elements blended in. I was completely enthralled by the various creatures Ai Ling and company came across and wanted to know more about the fantastical elements and why they were after here. Oh and the descriptions...all the descriptions of the surrounding world, the food, etc. were incredible. I found my mouth watering when she would describe a meal and could feel the travel bug within me bouncing off the walls with her descriptions of the beautiful countryside and the various locations Ai Ling passed through.

Ai Ling was such a refreshing character! She was so kickass and sure of herself...and she certainly didn't need the men fighting her battles or telling her how they were to get out of the current situation they were in. My only problem with Ai Ling was that she felt very aloof to me. I couldn't figure out if her aloofness was intentional and that she was the type of girl that just didn't let people in or if it was a flaw in the character development. I just wanted to figure out what made her tick and what she really felt. It seemed like she had a one track mind to finding her father but I knew there had to be more to her than that. She was so strong but I wanted to know if it were just the necklace she had that made her that way or what was really behind that strength. I wanted to use her special capability to penetrate her thoughts so I could just get a sense of who she was.

My Final Thought: If you are looking for fantasy that is on the brink of YA and adult, I think this one is great. I found it to be a lot more mature than some other YA fantasy I've read and it was so unique and definitely refreshing since the driving force of the book was NOT a romance. The magical world and creatures was deftly imagined and the vivid descriptions just added to the enjoyability of the action-packed journey! I will definitely be reading the next one in the series to find out some of the things I'm dying to know and to see if we get to know Ai Ling a little bit more!

3.5 stars!(less)

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Mar 27, 2011

Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, mundie-moms-review

*reviewed on MM's*

This book had been on my radar for quite awhile and it wasn't until I saw Cassandra Clare's Barnes & Noble top 12 Book Picks did I finally pick it up. What a fascinating read it was. Cindy Pon not only has a rich mythology and setting, but some very strong characters.

Ai Ling is a strong, fierce heroine who's courage adds an element of surprise in her adventures. Set during a time when women were told what to do and excepted to obey, Ai Ling proves other wise...more

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Feb 20, 2011

Splash Of Our Worlds *Yiota* rated it

· review of another edition

Okay...give my some time to do a recap of the book since there is some time i've read it....*yiota thinks*....

I would describe Silver Phoenix as one of those classic japanese stories. I don't know how many of you've watch movies like Howl's Moving Castle, with weird creatures which doesn't really make sense, but the book is exactly like that but not so childish. The writing was captivating, exotic and is exactly like watching an anime movie.
Good things: Great and strong p...more

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Dec 22, 2010

Kate Poehlmann rated it

· review of another edition

I read this for a library book club and it was absolutely epic! I love the unique storyline, and the characters. They seemed like real people. My favorite was Chen Yong. Ai Ling was nice too, she reminded me of Katniss Everdeen from Hunger Games. I like how we have a strong female character here, who has a mind of her own and can actually make a sandwich without having to run crying to Edward (I swear I have nothing against Twilight! Just that Bella is just a little weak).

***SPOILERS**...more

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Aug 10, 2010

Catherine rated it

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Shelves: 2010, 50books_poc2010, china

This book leaves me as confused as ever as to what constitutes a YA novel. The language in Silver Phoenix is much simpler than I've read in other YA works (I Am The Messenger springs to mind), but the themes here are profoundly adult - love, sex, marriage, horror, gore.

Ai Ling, the central protagonist, is a heroine to be fond of, blasting her way (as she does) through tradition and otherworlds to find her kidnapped father at the Emperor's palace. She's educated - and her literacy i...more

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Aug 09, 2010

Judy rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, ya, fantasy

“Silver Phoenix” was one of the books that I was excitedly waiting for because of its gorgeous cover. It was listed as a book featuring a person of color written by a person of color on a YA lit blog that I can’t remember the name of. For “Silver Phoenix”, I was immediately drawn to what appears to be a story about a strong heroine (check), fantasy (double check), and an Asian writer (triple check!!!). This was all before I even read anything on the book itself, so it is surprising how much the ...more“Silver Phoenix” was one of the books that I was excitedly waiting for because of its gorgeous cover. It was listed as a book featuring a person of color written by a person of color on a YA lit blog that I can’t remember the name of. For “Silver Phoenix”, I was immediately drawn to what appears to be a story about a strong heroine (check), fantasy (double check), and an Asian writer (triple check!!!). This was all before I even read anything on the book itself, so it is surprising how much the cover design can affect whether the reader wants to pick up and invest time into a book. I was even more intrigued by the book after I read the description.

This sounds like the stories of action and adventure that I grew up with in novels and in movies. I love movies and dramas from the wuxia genre, and the lack of this sort of fiction in English was what prompted me to write my current WIP. There are demons! Romance! A rescue! All components that I love about YA fantasy stories, and I couldn’t wait to dive into this one. With such high expectations, it was easy to be disappointed, but fortunately I wasn’t when I started to read.

I always like imagining the environment that would be perfect for reading a certain book. There are books that are meant to be read on the bus, books that could be read on the beach. This book was meant to be read at night when there’s a storm outside and the wind is rattling the windows. The beginning of the book starts out light, introducing us to Ai Ling and her family. I love stories about families, and I appreciate seeing a heroine with close ties to her parents. Her father sets out on a journey towards the palace, and then this sets off the rest of the book. In order to escape a marriage that she does not want, Ai Ling goes to find her father and encounters many mythical beasts and magical lands. Her companions are the mysterious Chen Yong, and his flirtatious younger brother Li Rong.

There were creatures who were familiar to me from Chinese mythology, as well as others that were surprising in the depth of imagination that must have went in to create them. At times I admit I was a bit frightened reading some of the scenes where Ai Ling and the two boys had to fight their ways out of a terrifying situation. I was carried along happily with the action and interesting landscapes and descriptions of food (I had to wipe away some drool occasionally thinking of noodles in broth…sigh).

The only thing I didn’t like as much about the story was that there were a few portrayals of sexuality in the book that made me squirm. I feel like some of the experiences could have been explored further or examined more closely for their implications, but the emotional impact was glossed over instead of addressed. I would definitely say the target audience may be 16+, and mothers may want to read the book with younger (13-15) readers to discuss some of the ideas that were present in the book. I think there were lots of components in the book that would offer great opportunities for discussion in a mother-daughter bookclub (such as the idea of arranged marriages and the inner chambers or the emperor’s concubines).

I felt a bit frustrated when the book ended because there were some loose ends that I wanted to know more about! Such as the story of Silver Phoenix and the future of Ai Ling. I’m excited for the sequel that is in the works and will definitely pick it up when it comes out.(less)

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Jul 30, 2010

Ebony McKenna rated it

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I know I'm reading a wonderful book when the internal editor switches off and I simply live in the book. This book is wonderful. It's an incredible adventure full of mythical heroes and foes, challenges, mistakes, heartbreak, ruin and salvation. And food.

It's the story of Ai Ling, a dutiful daughter pledged to rescue her father (and dodge a few greasy 'suitors' along the way). It reminded me of the TV series from the 80s, Monkey Magic - the classic journey with many challenges, gods in...more

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Jul 21, 2010

Kim rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, ya

Silver Phoenix is the latest book (that I know of) to suffer the whitewashing of its cover. Except that what it really suffered was the powers-that-be in two major chain bookstores, Barnes & Noble and Borders, deciding not to stock the hardcover in their brick-and-mortar stores, so that it lost out on impulse sales. The publisher decided to remedy the situation by changing the cover design for the paperback edition. However, the new covers not only obscure the race of the protagonist, they make ...moreSilver Phoenix is the latest book (that I know of) to suffer the whitewashing of its cover. Except that what it really suffered was the powers-that-be in two major chain bookstores, Barnes & Noble and Borders, deciding not to stock the hardcover in their brick-and-mortar stores, so that it lost out on impulse sales. The publisher decided to remedy the situation by changing the cover design for the paperback edition. However, the new covers not only obscure the race of the protagonist, they make Silver Phoenix look identical to many of the YA paranormal romances that are so popular these days, when really it's not. Instead, Silver Phoenix is a traditional fantasy that just so happens to be set in China during the Xi Xia dynasty. I'd say the audience for this book is not Twilight fans, as the new covers suggest, buy fans of Tamora Pierce or Lian Hearn.

Ai Ling is seventeen years old, and ripe for marriage, but when her betrothed calls off the wedding due to a family scandal, she is actually relieved. That is, until her father leaves and, in his absence, a greedy neighbor tries to blackmail Ai Ling into marrying him. She sets off to find her father, along the way discovering she has mysterious powers and meeting with strange beings, monsters, and possibly even her true love . . .

Ai Ling is a strong character, who throughout the novel discovers powers that make her a force to be reckoned with. She is also well educated and would rather not be married if not for love, traits I wasn't sure were realistic for her culture but which certainly made her easy to relate to for a 21st century reader. I think it's really difficult to create a strong heroine living in an oppressive society without having her espouse anachronistic feminist ideals, and Pon doesn't quite succeed. When people express amazement that Ai Ling, a woman, is traveling on her own, I can't help but wonder at the wisdom of anyone traveling alone in a society without mass transportation; it simply doesn't seem safe. Of course, Ai Ling soon finds herself a traveling companion, the handsome half-foreign Chen Yong, and also discovers almost by accident that she has supernatural abilities. I liked these powers, which came in handy against many a foe; however, I liked them best once she actually understood how they worked.

Where I think this novel really shines is in its depiction of the world Ai Ling lives in, from the food she eats (warning: do not read this book while hungry) to the mythical creatures she encounters to the spiritual beliefs of her society. The problem is, for much of the novel the emphasis is on showing the reader this fantastical world, and there seems to be little urgency behind Ai Ling's quest. At about the midpoint or even later Ai Ling makes a discovery about herself that ups the ante and refocuses the narrative, which had hitherto felt rather episodic. I therefore have high expectations for the sequel, which I think will benefit from its world being (now) less novel, and Ai Ling's powers better understood.
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Apr 22, 2010

Jess rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, adventure

Here's the thing about kick-ass girl characters in historic settings (or historic-inspired settings) - I have to be convinced that they are a product of their culture, and I have to be convinced that they grow into their kick-ass-ness through whatever circumstances. If you simply plop one of these girls into a world of women who follow the rules, I might enjoy it but there will be some serious eye-rolling.

There was no eye-rolling with Ai Ling, I'm happy to say. She is on many level...moreHere's the thing about kick-ass girl characters in historic settings (or historic-inspired settings) - I have to be convinced that they are a product of their culture, and I have to be convinced that they grow into their kick-ass-ness through whatever circumstances. If you simply plop one of these girls into a world of women who follow the rules, I might enjoy it but there will be some serious eye-rolling.

There was no eye-rolling with Ai Ling, I'm happy to say. She is on many levels a product of her culture - she's aware that girls are "supposed" to do various things, and feels that sense of honor for her family and so on, but she also had access to an unusual education due to her mildly unconventional family. And when she sets out on her journey, she doesn't set off to save the kingdom - she just wants to find out what happened to her father. Of course she stumbles into various adventures, meets a whole host of demons and dragons and mythological creatures, and she comes to accept that yes, she is pretty kick-ass. But she's still of her world.

On an unrelated note, I loved the realistic things that Pon works into the adventure/quest story: the characters are always exhausted after a day of travel, and Ai Ling in particular is always ravenous. We get descriptions of all the meals. Another detail that I appreciated was how Chen Yong, whose father was a foreigner, is often described as having "exotic" features. A good reminder that looking "exotic" and "foreign" completely depends on your context.

Overall, a great pace with a combination of lots of action but also plenty of thoughtfulness to the story. The characters are compelling and endearing - but watch out. The main plot line is resolved, but apparently a sequel is in the works, so don't expect resolution on all the issues between various characters. I definitely want to see what happens to them next.

Note: there's an attempted rape and a forced marriage, neither of which are graphic, but they're disturbing, as are several of the fight scenes and demons. Appropriate to the story, but probably not for younger readers. I'd say high school.

Copy from my library system.(less)

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Apr 07, 2010

Laura rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

It's possible I'm being more harsh on this book than I would have been if I hadn't read such glowing reviews before hand. Maybe my expectations were too high, so take everything I write in this review with a grain of salt.

The Awesome:

Excellent world-building.

Without giving away a major plot point, I'll just say that reading this book really made me want to hear the story of the Silver Phoenix.

The lead is a kick-butt female with a cool power.

The N...more

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About Cindy Pon

my debut, SILVER PHOENIX : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia was released by greenwillow books / harpercollins on april 28, 2009.

Fury of the Phoenix is out April 2011 and a children's picture book with my chinese brush art will follow.

...

on the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--ai ling discovers a power welling deep within her. she can reach into other ...more

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Fury of the Phoenix (Kingdom of Xia, #2)

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Quotes from Silver Phoenix

“A plate of roast duck, steamed dumplings, spicy noodles with beef gravy, pickled cucumbers, stewed tongue and eggs if you have them, cold please, and sticky rice pearls, too,' Ai Ling said, before the server girl could open her mouth. "I don't know what he wants." Ai Ling nodded toward Chen Yong.

'I'm not sure I have enough coins to order anything more,' he said, laughing.” — 12 people liked it

“You judge the gods by who bows down at their altars?" Ai Ling asked.” — 7 people liked it

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Silver Phoenix (Kingdom of Xia #1)

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