The Phoenix Crown
By Kate Quinn, Janie Chang

Description:
Historical Fiction and Literary Fiction

👑 Strong women friendships
👑 Hardships of Chinese immigrants
👑 Murder

Four women from different walks of life team up together with one goal to survive the aftermath of an earthquake and the person that connects them all Thornton.

Beautifully written.

If you enjoy historical fiction highly recommended.

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers Australia for a digital copy of this book.

What a treat The combination of Kate Quinn and Janie Chang to share their talents in the historical event of the San Francisco great earthquake. The four women that we follow are party based on real people at the time, some as in Alice ,was actually the botanist she is portrayed to be. She has plant species named after her and was actually a Director at the Herbarium. The novel is beautifully constructed with seamless integration of each story. The Chinese parts are obviously beneficiaries of Janie Chang’s personal contributions but every part of the setting is beautifully researched and accurate. The build to the earthquake is reasoned and just enough as you do know what is going to happen. Of course it’s part romance so there is a villain who pushes the story along and provides some page turning impetus. WhatI loved most was the real contributions of historical fact, the life of Chinese men and women, the opera and the life of an opera singer, the artist and of course Alice the botanist. Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review and share my thoughts in return for the advance copy.

The Phoenix Crown caught my interest right away. Kate Quinn is basically an auto-buy author for me and a story based around the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco sounded intriguing.

I enjoyed the story from the beginning, the different characters and intertwining stories; the very different lives led by each of the women; and a sense of building towards something big. As a life-long sufferer of horrendous migraines, I related to Gemma's struggles with work and pain. I loved that the women were all so different but were drawn together by a common thread, and found strength in learning to lean on each other, especially at a time when nothing was easy for women.

One thing that I didn't love so much was Reggie and Suling's relationship. I can't quite put my finger on why, other than perhaps the language changed and I felt like once we knew who Reggie was, Suling seemed much older than she was portrayed previously.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Australia for allowing me to read it.

The author of the Phoenix Crown is a collaborative novel by Kate Quinn & Janie Chang which showcases exceptional storytelling prowess, seamlessly blending fantasy elements with a masterful command of language and imagination."
The Phoenix Crown weaves a spellbinding tale of magic, destiny, and courage. With a captivating narrative and vibrant imagery, it transports readers to a mesmerising world.
The Phoenix Crown's plot is a gripping odyssey of a young hero's quest for a mythical artifact, entwined with political intrigue and magic. Complex characters, each with unique arcs, contribute to the rich tapestry of this fantastical adventure. A literary gem that enchants.
Although not my usual genre I truly enjoyed this journey.

Four women, a wealthy man, a Phoenix Crown and an earthquake. This is a book that is intriguing and enthralling, filled with greed, disasters, loss and even love. This book has it all and will not disappoint. It tells of these four women, their differences, their strengths and how their stories weave together.

Well written, well researched and a wonderful collaboration between two fine authors. A book that is interesting and intriguing and well paced most of the time (the beginning was a little bit slow to start). I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an Uncorrected proof of this book.
Fabulous. So much research has obviously gone into this book of a time in history which is not widely told, the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. There are four very remarkable female protagonists and a strong supporting crew. The tale weaves and twists around a remarkable historic artefact- the phoenix crown.
The combination of authors and their research has lent authenticity, and the characters are beautifully drawn and realistic.
Anyone who enjoys a good historical tale will probably devour it as I did, with bated breath and cheering on of the heroines.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for this opportunity.

This is a beautiful and informative read that has the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 as its backdrop; a captivating story of greed, intrigue, murder, disaster and love.

Gemma Garland nee Sally Gunderson, soprano, has come to San Francisco to take her place in the chorus with the great Caruso. Within a very short time of her arrival in San Francisco the initial people she meets will play a big part in the developing story. Her arrival is assisted by a Chinese boy with impeccable English for which she remarks and at the apartment finds herself being welcomed by a tenant of the establishment, Alice Eastwood the curator at the California Academy of Sciences, Botanical Division. Gemma is a little miffed as she had expected her friend Nellie, (nee Donatella/Thomasina/Danielle) would be there to greet her, however Miss Eastwood informs Gemma that her friend Danielle LeMarq as Miss Eastwood knows her, had left the lodgings.

In the Chinese sector Suling the young boy (girl) who helped Gemma is desperate to avoid her uncle who is trying to marry her off. Since taking over her family's laundry business he has run it down and has no interest in it, selling it would clear his debts. However, his opium addiction allows her to move freely to her mother's best friend, a brothel owner who soothes her, the memories of her parents' recent deaths still raw. She also reveals her dismay at her uncle's promise in marriage to a man who already has two wives. Suling wants to escape and the one person she thought she could have relied on, her lover Reggie has disappeared. Reggie, an artist, had been putting together a series of paintings supported by Henry Thornton, one of San Francisco's elite, who had become her patron for a major exhibition. He uses the girls from the brothel as servers for his private soirees and this is the connection between Suling and Reggie. Suling changes her image to suit the occasion, she is the interpreter for the soirees being the only Chinese who speaks English.

Thornton's involvement with Gemma starts to pull all the characters together whereby Gemma meets Suling and realises that she was the person dressed as a boy that had assisted her with her luggage. Suling, also a talented embroideress, becomes involved in mending an ancient Chinese gown to be worn by Gemma along with a magnificent crown. It's during the return of the garment to Gemma that a painting by Reggie is recognised for its connection to the artist, Reggie/Nellie. Gemma produces the letter that she had received from Nellie with Suling pointing out some of its inconsistencies. Both women realise that Thornton has had a hand in Reggie's/Nellie's disappearance.

The earthquake hits, throwing everything into turmoil, discovery is made regarding Reggie's/Nellie's whereabouts, why and how to rescue her. Alice Eastwood has her own rescues to be made and Thornton's hand in a murder is revealed.

I was really looked forward to reading this new title by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang. I have always enjoyed Kate Quinn’s previous works. This title did take me a little while to get into it but then I was swept away.
Four women from different backgrounds with different lifestyles and careers come into each others lives and bond as life long friends.
Alice, the botanist; Reggie/Nellie, the artist; Suling, the embroiderer and Gemma, the opera singer. They all meet in San Fransisco before the earthquake and fires of 1906. Their shared contact/relationship with a wealthy tyrant sees the women committed to bringing him to justice for the crimes he has committed.
Wonderful compelling reading!

'Nothing in the world is made convenient for women'.

Gemma is an opera singer with big dreams; dreams big enough to draw her to the newly rich and fast-growing city of San Francisco. Her friend Nellie has already ingratiated herself into the bohemian crowd entertaining the wealthy. Alice is a botanist, drawn to California's flora and fauna, oblivious to polite, societal norms. Suling lives in Chinatown. Recently orphaned, she plans to make something of herself, by herself, far away from a scheming uncle ready to arrange her marriage. All of these strong, yet disparate women are linked through one man: Henry Thornton. Henry made wealthy through railways, knows what he wants, and simply buys it when he sees it. As strong as these women are, Henry's charm, connections, and patronage offer an alluring foot up the ladder towards achieving their goals, 'It wasn't enough for a woman to be talented, clever or good. That wouldn't save her'. As the countdown towards the massive 1906 earthquake ticks by with each chapter read, it becomes clear that Henry isn't quite who he seems and, in fact, everyone seems to be playing their own game of charades. The women, in fact, need to rely upon and trust each other, 'To be vulnerable is not the same as being weak'.

The Phoenix Crown delves into what it means to be a strong woman and the bonds of female friendships, wrapped in a mystery. I really enjoyed learning more about the history of Chinatown and the hardships Chinese immigrants faced, 'The virulent hatred Americans had for Chinese in their midst, blaming them for crime and disease, branding them as lazy and corrupt'. The countdown to the earthquake delivers palpable anxiety yet ultimately the disaster offers new beginnings, 'The men and women who survived that terrible day, rose again: a phoenix reborn from the ashes'.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, from two powerhouse authors, but I did find some of the pacing a bit of a roller coaster.

I adored this magnificent story of how the lives of four very different women intersect around the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It is a beautifully written tribute to how the essence of a woman may either be hidden or revealed by her circumstances.
A resounding 5 stars!

This was a fascinating book.
I loved the interwoven stories, and the history.
It took a little while to hit its straps, but then comes home strong, if a little rushed.
Over half the book is the “before”, which adds to the pace, especially as the prologue is the “after”.
I also find Alice needed a bigger part.
But this is a story of strong women and I loved that!
I love how they come together and how they didn’t let anything stop them.

When I saw that two of my favourite historical fictions authors were teaming up to write a book together I couldn’t wait to read it. It certainly didn’t disappoint. The novel starts off with a bang and has so many different elements- historical fiction, mystery, action and a touch of romance.

We get to meet four amazing women- a combination of real and fictional characters.
Alice Eastwood - the curator of botany at California Academy of Sciences, Gemma Garland- a debut opera singer, Suling Feng- an embroiderer and Reggie Reynolds- an artist. All four were very talented and I loved their friendship and the way they looked out for each other. I particularly enjoyed Alice- she needs a book of her own and connected most with Gemma. Henry Thornton was the man that connected them all and he was definitely the villain you loved to hate.

Set in San Francisco in 1906, you got a feel for the fun and vibrant city it was before the earthquake hit- it was almost a character itself! I particularly enjoyed learning more about Chinatown and the era. There were also some interesting interludes to New York, Buenos Aires, Paris and London. I loved visiting Kew Gardens and the fashion houses of Paris.

Superbly researched, not only did you get a good feel of San Francisco during the time but also how women and the Chinese were treated. The authors’ notes at the end were fascinating about their inspiration for the story and the different characters. Their writing was seamless, you definitely couldn’t tell there were two different writers.

The Phoenix Crown is a multi-point of view novel set in the early 20th Century. I really enjoyed the novel, particularly that it introduced me to a time and place I am not overfly familiar with. The countdown at the beginning of the chapters gave a sense of foreboding and really built suspense and gave a sense of direction to the story (the additional foreshadowing on the train in the first chapter was a nice nod to this too). As this is neither my usual time or place of expertise in historical fiction, I can’t speak to any potential inaccuracies or oversights, but, the writing was immersive and really set the scene and gave me early 20th Century vibes.

The story didn’t shy away from some of the harsh realities of life for women at this and it didn’t demonise sex workers either, which was refreshing. While I enjoyed both points of view, I initially found myself enjoying Suling’s the most. I felt that there was a lot at stake on her side of the story, particularly in the beginning. However, I quickly began to also look forward to and enthusiastically enjoy Gemma/Sally’s chapters, her determination and grit was empowering to read and the conversational inner monologue was such a nice touch.

My only criticism is that I found the beginning a bit slow to get going and really grab my attention. But overall, this was an enjoyable story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers Australia for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, these thoughts are all my own.