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 that her journey to the Palace of Fragrant Dreams isn’t only a quest to find her beloved father but a venture with stakes larger than she could have imagined.
Bravery, intelligence, the will to fight and fight hard . . . she will need all of these things. Just as she will need the new and mysterious power growing within her. She will also need help.
It is Chen Yong who finds her partly submerged and barely breathing at the edge of a deep lake. There is something of unspeakable evil trying to drag her under. On a quest of his own, Chen Yong offers that help … and perhaps more.
Oh my goodness, you have to read this book. Cindy Pon is a wonderful writer! Silver Phoenix is action-packed! There are demons, monsters, gods as well as all the delicious mouthwatering Chinese food! There were a lot of surprises throughout the book which made me unable to put it down. Ai Ling and Chen Yong’s journey to the Palace is filled with breathtaking descriptions of the picturesque scenery.
Ai Ling is great character who we should all admire. She is very courageous and definitely someone I would love to be friends with! It’s good to know that Ai Ling knows how to read as girls in China in the past did not know how to read and write. Chen Yong is gallant and a likable character. Chen Yong’s younger brother is quirky and very comical. Awesome characters!
Silver Phoenix is a beautifully written novel with a unique plot. It is a refreshing read compared to all the vampire novels (not that vampire novels are bad). It is truly an excellent debut novel, highly recommended. Once you finished it, you will be dying for a sequel. And yes, Cindy is curently working on the sequel!
Gold star!
Just a little additional info, modern day China, in the city area, (e.g. Beijing, Shanghai) is very hip and modern. They have malls there as well as fast-food outlets. However the country side is a different thing.
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