Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Title: Silver Phoenix
Author: Cindy Pon
Summary: At 17, Ai Ling is past the age when most girls in the kingdom of Xia have married and borne children. The gods, it would seem, have a different destiny in store for her, one that begins to reveal itself when her father travels to the Emperor's Palace and fails to return. Ai Ling is determined to find him and destroy his captor, a corrupt advisor who has unnaturally extended his life by feeding on the souls of others. On her journey, which is rich in action but a little slight on character development, Ai Ling meets Chen Yong, a young man of mixed race who seeks the truth of his birth and faces a variety of predators, both demonic and sexual. Fans of Tamora Pierce's and Robin McKinley's work will enjoy the adventure and strong female protagonist; the Chinese-influenced society and bestiary may also tempt aficionados of Asian culture and media.—Christi Esterle, Parker Library, CO

Caution: Mild spoilers

This book was really wonderful. I give it an A+ for being different from most YA tales, but not so different that it seemed completely foreign. The novel involves lots of interesting odd bits, from villages where everyone is born with one arm and monsters made out of human corpses, to the more uplifting scenes involving lighthearted dialogue, epic journeys, and companionship.


The romance is a could-have-been, should-have-been one. It goes unresolved at the end, which I at first felt disappointed by. Later I realized that was just the last nonconformist subplot that the author twisted into her tale. Also, the Asian background made it a great read, particularly for an Asian enthusiast such as myself.


While I was reading I almost felt like I was being sucked completely into Ai Ling’s vivid fantasy world, which is difficult to say for most books. The plot progression seemed to be formed a bit shakily at times, but everything else made up for that. By the end, I was just hungry to know What happens next? and, in regards to Ai Ling’s past lives, What happened before?

Anyway… I’m certainly hoping for a prequel and a sequel to add to this literary treasure!

P.S -Oh, I should also note that there are some darker undertones to this story, including forced marriage and an attempted rape scene (not necessarily in that order…). So while it is YA, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone below the 9th grade.