Writing: 4/5 Characters: 5/5 Plot: 4/5

Two determined women, a wealthy, charming, but deeply dangerous man, and a precipitous event come together in this propulsive novel by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang. I’ve read most of Quinn’s novels; I’m planning to read my first Chang shortly because it looks fascinating!

Gemma Garland comes to San Francisco to meet up with the Met traveling group to join the chorus when a current singer chooses to leave. Garland is a gorgeous soprano who is prevented from singing leading roles due to debilitating migraines she can’t control. Feng Suling is a (very) talented seamstress who is desperate to escape the arranged marriage her uncle is forcing on her to escape his (massive) gambling debts after her parents died. Mr. Thornton — a wealthy and ambitious patron of the arts — is in a position to help them both and yet… he is not necessarily what he seems to be. It is early April in 1906 and the infamous San Francisco earthquake is less than two weeks away.

Good writing encompassing plenty of richly detailed history. Real characters such as Enrico Caruso (famous tenor — I’m guessing most of you know this!), Martin Beck (the founder of the Orpheum theater), and Alice Eastwood (the curator of Botany at the California Academy of Sciences) are inserted into the plot without betraying their actual character or actions (at least not too much). Fascinating details about Asian art, including the Phoenix Crown (real and stunning), an exquisite Dragon Robe, and multiple object d’art are included — both in description and in terms of how they are made. A full description of Chinatown and the various laws, policies, and practices around Chinese immigrants at the time is provided with depth and nuance.

A powerful narrative with a real punch. Plenty of opportunity to perch on the edge of your seat and bite a nail or two.

*will post on @youhavetoreadthisnow closer to pub date*

THE PHOENIX CROWN by Kate Quinn and Jamie Chang ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a great story of connection, sacrifice, art, and strong women! It included so many of the harsh realities for women and the Chinese culture at this time. My favorite character in this one was for sure Suling. She had so much at stake and worked hard to change her future. I LOVE a Kate Quinn novel, I don’t think I’ve ever not given one five stars, but this one wasn’t quite at the level of others for me. The plot felt a little lacking at times and was a little bit slow, especially the first half of the book. I also didn’t feel like most of the characters were overly likable or that we got to know them well enough to like them… with the exception of a few. That being said, still a great read (I just had the bar set very high)!

This story is set in San Francisco in 1906, during the horrible earthquake that changed so many lives. It centers around 4 separate women in San Francisco who are brought together over one man.

Perfect if you like:
•Chinese culture.
•Strong women.
•San Francisco earthquake.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️
Mood: 🍷

Set amongst the backdrop of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, The Phoenix Crown is the story of women who have all been wronged by the same man. It offers perspectives of a white woman aspiring to be an opera singer, as well as a Chinese-American seamstress.

While I was intrigued by the characters and plot line, there were aspects of the pacing that felt off to me. The climate may have been too soon? I also thought Act 2 wasn’t eventful enough, and my attention wavered. I think that this duo also missed some opportunities for a more a intricate plot. They had all of the right ingredients, but there was something lacking in the final result. Still, Quinn and Chang make a wonderful duo. I’ve been a longtime Quinn fan and would like to read more from Chang.

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book prior to release.

I love Kate Quinn's historical fiction. She always gives me wonderful women (sometimes with swoony romances), that are part of history in their darkest hours. In this story, our main character(s) are part of the San Fransisco fire. Set in the heart of Chinatown, this dual narrative with overlapping stories that converge over Chinese history is pretty good stuff.

I also love that she is working along a writer - of Chinese descent - to bring this tale to life. I found the authenticity and the focus on the Chinese details to be top notch, and I think readers will enjoy reading and seeing that.

So why did I give the book three stars? Well, I guess you can say... it was okay. WHICH IS SAD BECAUSE NORMALLY HER BOOKS ARE MORE THAN OKAY, they're 4/5 star reads for me. The story seemed simple, the characters didn't seem to have that same agency, or heart-pounding/edge of your seat wrap ups that her other books normally had (talking about The Huntress or The Diamond Queen). This just seemed to lack the umph those had.

So my three star is for 'enjoyment', while many will rate it higher. I want Kate to work with other authors again, because this one was good, just story-wise I wanted more.

Kate Quinn and Janie Chang are independently acclaimed authors of historical fiction. Here they combine their skills to tell a story about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake from multiple points of view. One line follows the story of Alice Eastwood, a botanist whom we meet in London five years after the tragedy. Her perspective is contrasted with that of Gemma Garland, an aspiring opera star whose unique voice can’t quite compensate for the migraines that sideline her just as she’s about to make her mark on the world. The third narrator is a young Chinese-American named Feng Suling (“Suzie” to the rich white customers who can’t be bothered to learn her name), with a gift for embroidery and a grand ambition: to escape the arranged marriage her uncle plans for her and reunite with Reggie, the love she has lost.

How these three stories intersect and overlap, united by the Phoenix Crown and the man who owns it, I’ll leave for readers to discover. Each chapter is marked by its proximity to the forthcoming earthquake (unknown to the protagonists, of course), but even without that impending threat, the story will draw you in and keep you hooked. And the collaboration is seamless. The book is due in February 2024, but because of scheduling conflicts, I won’t publish my New Books Network (link below) interview with the authors until April.

A wonderful story from Kate and Janie. This book follows four women just prior to the San Francisco earthquake, thorough the devastation and then jumps ahead a few years. The description of the earthquake's terror was riveting. It felt as if I was actually there with some of the characters as they lived through the aftermath. I loved all of the character development and the scenic descriptions were extraordinary! Very highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book from the Book Club Girl Early Read program. All thoughts and comments in my review are my own.

Review: The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn & Janie Chang

Not a surprise that this book is so good! It’s a fantastically written historical fiction from an event I knew nothing of and now am fascinated by. The characters were well developed at a fast but also somehow slow pace. There were quiet moments and intensity, action and romance, surprises and victories - I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time. I finished this book in less than a day as I couldn’t put it down.

I would recommend this book.

I was given an arc from @netgalley & @williammorrowbooks in return for my honest review

gorgeous book by two great authors, Kate Quinn's last one i read of hers was just as great. i loved the whole style of it. thanks for the arc

Kate Quinn is one of my favorite authors, so when I saw a chance to get an advanced copy from Netgalley I immediately asked for it.
There is a discussion between the authors at the end of the book that is quite interesting. They are friends and Janie adds the Chinese point of view.
There is so much to discuss about this book, which begins a few days before the earthquake. ( There is a countdown before each chapter)
Gemma Garland is on a train from NY to SF to perform at the Metropolitan opera with Enrico Caruso. She is to meet her friend Nelly and stay with her.
On her way to find the address, she meets a Chinese boy who helps her.
We later learn this boy is Suling Feng, and her backstory is slowly revealed.
Suffice to say, she and Gemma will meet again and play important roles in each other's lives.
Gemma meets Henry Thornton, who has seen her perform in New York, and becomes her patron. He lives in a huge Octagonal house on Nob Hill that is filled with Chinese artifacts, especially the titular Phoenix crown, which was stolen from the Beijing summer palace.
The book is not only a wonderful historical fiction with many real historical figures, but it is a murder mystery, a book of friendships, a lesbian love, and an in depth look at Chinatown as well as the effects of the earthquake.
Chinatown comes to life, learning what it took for women to survive, showing how ordinary families lived among the many laundries, brothels opium dens as well as the shops, schools, temples and missionary homes.
We also are introduced to the Opera and the players, which I found quite fascinating. In addition, the descriptions of the Chinese clothes and artifacts was particularly fascinating to me.
The book has a very satisfying ending at a masked ball at Versailles.
I lived near San Francisco for 10 years, right after the 1991 earthquake, and I am always amazed at the destruction of the 1906 earthquake.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest opinion. I heartily recommend this book. I plan to read it with several of my bookclubs.

5.0 stars
HIGHEST Recommendation

I received a complimentary Kindle e-book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Kate Quinn and Janie Chang, William Morrow, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is only my fourth book of 2024, but I have found my FIRST 5.0-star book! I loved that Kate Quinn and Janie Chang wrote this book together - it was a fantastic collaboration.

This book has everything - the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and four women who become best friends for life because of what they endured at the hands of a horrible man. There is a botanist, an opera singer, a young Chinese woman, and an upcoming artist. These four women build a beautiful friendship and soar together.

This book has so much good historical information including many historical figures. It was just a fabulous book and I could not put it down once I had time to read it (I started it before the holidays and my reading sabbatical).

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

The Phoenix Crown is an amazing work of historical fiction, blending the lives of actual historical figures with characters created just for this book, weaving together a story as vibrant and multifaceted as traditional Chinese embroidery. The city of San Francisco is as much a character as the people. At heart, this is the story of four talented, beautiful women making their way through a world that is not made for them, and how one man could make or break them, just because he has money and influence. Will they find happiness, freedom and love?

I adore Kate Quinn & am thrilled to have gotten an early copy of her latest "The Phoenix Crown" which is co-written with Janie Chang, a new author to me with her own historic fiction chops. This novel is centered around 4 very different women that come together over a mutual male acquaintance & benefactor, one of the railroad tycoons. The timeline also depicts the 1906 earthquake in San Fransisco and how it changed so many lives in an instant. Each of these women had a wonderful talent from sewing to painting to opera singing. A good deal of this novel also highlights the racism and bigotry that was directed at the Chinese immigrants back in that time (sadly we're still dealing with racial hate!). This novel does start off rather slow, but the research into the Great Earthquake and time period makes it payoff for the patient reader. My sincere thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the complimentary DRC, my pleasure to review it.

Kate Quinn and Janie Chang come together to create a thrilling historical fiction that takes place during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Four women who become friends-an artist, an opera singer, a botanist, and a Chinese woman trying to escape her fate-are at the center of a mystery regarding a rich man.

I am a ride or die Kate Quinn fan but this one fell flat for me. I didn’t find myself caring about any of the characters or the crimes they were finding justice for. I’m extremely bummed out as I was really excited for his book and for her to write one in America.

I have read all of Kate Quinn's books. They do not disappoint. This effort with co-writing does not either.
Although it is clear which author is writing throughout the book, it is an enjoyable adventure. Recommended read for book groups too.

Really enjoyed this!
Loved the countdown to the earthquake which gave the reader a sense of dread for what was to come mixed with joy that the disaster will give some of the women an opportunity to escape. It is interesting how the four women’s lives converge to have a common enemy and experience.
The characters are so well written, each with such distinct personalities. There is a great juxtaposition between the opulence of Thornton’s world and the descriptions of Chinatown and the everyday San Franciscan just trying to survive. Suling is especially joyful to read and easily my favorite of the four women.
I love a historical novel that draws on real life characters. Alice Eastwood is a trailblazer of her time and I can’t wait to read more about her life and passion.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This was a pleasure to read.

I am a big Kate Quinn fan but by the end of this I was really just turning pages trying to get to the end. I'm not sure if it was the writing or the plot that lost me - the middle was actually my favourite as I found the beginning and end hard to get through. The characters were classic Quinn - strong women - but I was only attached to part of the main cast and I think that made the rest of it suffer.

Very interesting historical fiction which takes place counting down to the San Francisco earthquake in the early 1900's. A ruthless businessman, HenryThorton, wants to be a patron of the arts but he also wants to take over the lives of the people he sponsors. Four women become involved with him in different ways. As they come together as friends, each of these women is affected by the earthquake and the ruthlessness of Thorton. Great characters.

I was drawn to this title as I recently read Janie Chang’s Porcelain Moon and had enjoyed it because it focused described a period in history that was unknown to me. And While I’m not a Kate Quinn fan I am interested in CA history and thought I’d give it a try. I’m glad I did. The stories of the four very different women were well constructed, the characters interesting, and the description of the city and the earthquake well done. My one complaint would be the ending tied things abit too quickly and maybe a bit too pat hiwever all in all an enjoyable read.

The Phoenix Crown is a beautifully written historical fiction novel set in 1906 San Francisco. The novel follows two very different protagonists: an opera singer with dreams of becoming a diva and a queer Chinese seamstress desperate to escape an arranged marriage and focus on her art. Add in a conniving philanthropist, an eccentric botanist, an old friend and some very expensive jewelry all set against the backdrop of the 1906 Earthquake.

The novel begins with opera singer Gemma's arrival to San Francisco and her encounter with Suling (dressed as a laundry boy) immediately sets the plot moving. After Gemma discovers her friend whom she was to live with has disappeared she must make her way alone in the big city and falls under the thrall of tycoon Henry Thornton. Meanwhile Suling is desperate to avoid an arranged marriage and fretting over her disappeared love Reggie. Suling takes odd jobs to make money including translator for the Chinese women Thornton hires to be "guests" at his parties. The two women eventually become friends and along with Alice a plant mad botanist must work together to stay alive after the earthquake devastates San Francisco,

The Phoenix Crown was so good and the twists throughout had me gasping aloud. I loved learning more about Gemma's background and Suling's life and friendships in Chinatown. I did feel like the climax was a little rushed but I was also so ready for it so maybe it was just me. I only wish we'd gotten a little more info about some of the side characters but as the authors said in the acknowledgements there were other characters they wanted to include but couldn't.

I am already a fan of Kate Quinn's works but I will definitely check out Janie Chang's books after this. I highly recommend to fans of historical fiction or existing fans of these authors.

I was provided a free copy of this book through NetGalley.