Kate Quinn is a master historical fiction writer and Janie Chang was a great addition to this novel. The story is captivating and the two perspectives are both well written and engaging. Highly recommend!

This breathtaking historical fiction novel is unlike any I’ve read before. Gemma & Suling are from different worlds & come together as remarkable heroines in an epic story.

Thank you, Kate Quinn, Janie Chang, William Morrow Books, Uplit Reads & Netgalley for my #gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Uplit Reads and William Morrow for the copy of this book!

Taking place in 1906 San Francisco, THE PHOENIX CROWN is the story of Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano, and Suling, a Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage.

I enjoyed reading about an era that I hadn't before, and also really loved that we got two points of view in this story and that it was co-written. I really did learn a lot about Chinese immigrants during this time period, and that was my favorite part. The first part moved very quickly as the stories begin to intertwine, but about halfway through, the book started slowing down quite a bit and dragged. Still an interesting read, and very worthwhile if you love either of these authors or want to learn more about the time period!

Another terrific Kate Quinn book! And this time with Janie Chang. The lives of four seemingly diverse women, an opera singer, an artist, a botanist and a Chinese laundress, collide as the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 looms in the backdrop. As the earthquake and resulting fires destroy their city and their lives will their friendships survive? And more importantly will the man who sought to destroy them be brought to justice? This novel cleverly combines history, drama, mystery and a whole lot of action. A story of women's friendship and growth and a reclaiming of power. I highly recommend.

3.5 stars. While an excellent read, this story was disrupted by really odd pacing. The climax was 70% of the way through the book and then it kept going… it also is way too similar to Nature of Fragile Things, so I felt like I had read the story not that long ago. That being said, the story and characters were enjoyable and I thought the co-writing worked really well. I particularly enjoyed Suling’s perspective of being Chinese American in the early 1900s. I wish we had more of Alice’s character, especially with the knowledge that she’s a real person. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I was surprised by this book! I didn’t know what it was about walking into it. I also don’t think I ever finished reading the blurb because it was uninteresting to me. But let me tell you, this book is INTERESTING.

Actual historical events and characters are carefully weaved together with fictional happenings and people to make an exciting narrative that at the end of the day is about womanhood. Each of the heroines in this book could not be more different, but they all use their strengths and lessons learned to overcome a dangerous force of evil. The drama of the story was exciting and felt so real. The stakes were high!

The story was tough to start because the beginning felt like a lot of infodumping, trying to give me decades of information in just a few pages. The rest of the story made up for it. Don’t let the beginning fool you—this is a book worth reading.

Kate Quinn is one of my favorite authors, so I was excited to read her new book, The Phoenix Crown, which she co-wrote with Janie Chang.
The Phoenix Crown is the story of reinvention and survival, but most importantly, it's about strong women and supportive female friendships.
Gemma, an opera singer from New York, arrives in 1906 in San Francisco to reinvent her career, where she meets Henry Thornton, a railway magnate and an avid collector of art. Her path also crosses with Suling, a young and talented embroideress from Chinatown. Their lives and destinies are on a collision course that will culminate during the devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906.

The Phoenix Crown is an impeccably researched, well-written, and captivating historical fiction. It has mystery, a dash of romance, and complex and interesting characters. I enjoyed reading about Gilded Age San Francisco and the history of Chinatown and its inhabitants. The strong female characters and their friendships were my favorite aspects of the book. I highly recommend the Phonix Crown to all historical fiction fans.

US pub date: 2/13/24
Genre: historical fiction
Quick summary: 1906 San Francisco is a glittering city, and soprano Gemma and embroidery master Suling are hoping to make their fortune. But as the narrative counts down to an earthquake and massive fire, these women will find themselves in danger due to magnate Henry Thornton, whose support comes with a high price.

I love the trend of co-written novels, and this is a great match of authors! I loved the strong female protagonists Gemma and Suling - they had very different histories but were united by their goal to rise above their circumstances to achieve success. Quinn and Chang did a great job capturing the energy and potential of San Francisco, while showing the ugly truth of the virulent racism present at that time. Villain Henry was a character I loved to hate. This is a slower, character- and place-driven historical fiction, and I really enjoyed the chance to be immersed in this period of history I didn't know much about.

Thank you to William Morrow for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Phoenix Crown is the perfect book for Women’s history month. It is a love song to female friendships from women of a variety of backgrounds who connected in San Francisco in the early 1900’s, whose bond was strengthened through the earthquake of 1906 and their quest to bring down a man who wronged them all.

The dual POV novel switches between Suling, a skilled Chinese embroideress attempting to save money to avoid an arranged marriage, and Gemma, an aspiring opera singer who has come to town to perform and connect with her long-time friend and artist. Gemma’s and Suling’s lives collide when both women are made offers from the rich and powerful man, Henry Thornton, that neither can refuse. Thornton is seemingly a patron of the arts and collector of rare Chinese cultural treasures, and promises to make Gemma a star and Suling an incredible sum for repairing an ancient embroidered robe. However, when the enormous earthquake rips through the city, both women’s lives are upended, and Thornton’s secret past and possible criminal ties are revealed right as he disappears. Can the women move past their shared trauma and restart their lives? Or, when Thornton reappears in social circles years later, the women he once promised the world are determined to bring him to justice.

Quinn and Chang bring the sights, smells, clothing, music, and cultural diversity of 1906 San Francisco to life with their prose. I was fascinated by glitz, glamour, and hope of the young city. Their description of the earthquake was incredible realistic, harrowing, and shed light on how it impacted the different neighborhoods of the cities. Gemma and Suling’s character growth was admirable, and their friendships with Reggie and Alice spanned from San Fran, to Paris, Buenos Aires, New York, Colorado, and over years. This book accurately portrays the hardships women faced in the time while celebrating those who overcame obstacles in the quest to achieve their own dreams. Inspiring and touching, this is an absolute winner for historical fiction lovers!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024; when two of your favourite authors decide to collaborate, you know it’s going to be good!

This book follows four very different women who are drawn together by fate and circumstance on the eve of the San Francisco earthquake.

Highlights include:

💪 - strong women in history
⏱️ - a seamless blending of historical and fictional characters
🇨🇳 - Asian representation
🏳️‍🌈 - LGBTQ2S+ representation
🧠 - migraine representation (As a migraine sufferer, this was huge! I’d never seen it included in a story like it was here. It validated and normalized my experience.)

The personalities of these two talented historical fiction authors shines through this book. Jamie Chang describes life Chinatown in the early 1900s like no one else could, while Kate Quinn vividly portrays the early 20th century Opera scene.

I did find that the second and third act seemed much slower than the first act, which counted down to the earthquake itself. (Maybe that part was just so good the rest couldn’t top it!)

Great historical fiction surrounding multiple characters in San Francisco earthquake in the early 1900s. A embroideress, millionaire, opera singer, botanist, something for everyone. Well written and researched but kept me wanting to pick up the book up to learn more.

While The Phoenix Crown started off a bit slow for me, and I had a hard time keeping track of the characters for the first quarter of the book, I ended up speeding through the last half to find out what was going to happen! As the earthquake countdown got closer and closer, I feel like the book got better and better, This was definitely a truly unique historical fiction, and I probably would not have normally picked it up just based on the description, but I'm such a Kate Quinn fan I couldn't miss it. And I'm glad I didn't! The characters really came to life as the plot progressed, and I really didn't have a prediction for what would happen, which is always a refreshing change for me. I wish I could see pictures of the flowers and the crown that are so central to the book.

The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn & Janie Chang: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Format: ARC from William Morrow

When I stumbled across Kate Quinn’s feminist historical fiction novels in 2022, I couldn’t stop reading them. I remember them vividly, starting with The Diamond Eye, then The Rose Code, and The Alice Network. When I saw that Kate’s newest book, co-written with Janie Chang, was available, I was so excited to get a copy to review!

Quinn’s previous works feature women around the world during wartime, but in The Phoenix Crown, Quinn breaks from that mold. From the beginning of the story, the reader is aware that the infamous 1906 San Francisco earthquake is just days away, unbeknownst to the characters. The Phoenix Crown focuses on two women living in early-1900’s San Francisco, Gemma and Suling. They couldn’t be more different from each other, but when they are drawn into the orbit of a wealthy and mysterious patron the ladies form a bond to stand the test of time.

What I love about historical fiction is that not only is the story captivating, but you also learn so much about history while reading. Learning about early San Francisco and the 1906 earthquake is interesting, and even more so from the viewpoints of two women who lived in that time. Suling’s character was born and raised in the Chinatown district of San Francisco, and of course her perspective regarding the unchecked racism and prejudice of the time was eye opening and insightful.

I ended up really enjoying this book, though I suspect I would have enjoyed the audiobook more, and there are some pacing issues in the beginning of the book. The first 20% was mostly setup and felt very slow as the nuanced characters and the time are introduced. The plot only truly hooked me starting at around 40% when our characters begin interacting with each other in a meaningful way. The pacing of the story continued to be off throughout the rest of the book; the events outlined in the blurb actually summarize the entire novel, so the readers already knows what is going to happen, creating an illusion of a slow pace. The Phoenix Crown is not wholly character driven or plot driven, but rather a mix of the two- but characters that don’t radically develop during the book and a plot that is completely given away by the blurb will probably hinder the book’s reception.

Again, I really did enjoy this book overall and of course recommend it to feminist historical fiction readers. Thank you so much to William Morrow books for the ARC of The Phoenix Crown, which is available now.

I finished this one a little while ago and I've been sitting with my review because my feelings are mixed.

I really enjoyed reading and learning about the San Francisco earthquake. It's a period of history that was new for me and had me Googling away (I love when books do this!). As is common for Quinn's books, there is an element of female empowerment and found family. Both of which I liked!

Alternatively, there were a few times that I simply lost interest in the overall plot and had to suspend belief over what some characters actions were and how quickly solutions appeared. There were times it just didn't jive with me.

The highlight of the book for me was the authors' note at the end! The research and history behind the book was more interesting than some of actual storyline for me.

While this isn't my favourite from Quinn, I'll continue to pick up her books over and over again. This was my first book from Chang and I'm definitely going to look into her backlist!

The setting is 1906 San Francisco on the eve of the big earthquake and fires that destroyed much of the city. Gemma is a newcomer to the city and an opera singer. Suling, a local laundry worker and seamstress is trying to escape before she's married off by her gambler of an uncle. Their paths cross and their lives become entangled together in the weeks leading up to the earthquake.

The authors did an amazing job with their research in presenting a world that feels historically accurate both before and after the earthquake/fires. I think this book is a slower pace but would be good if you like historical fiction. I also appreciated the diverse depictions of women of different classes and races which you don't find in many books.

More books need to be collaborations. Imagine say a Stephen King and Samantha Irby book! I didn't know much about this book but I like both authors - and was extremely pleased to find out it's pure Ally bait: set in San Francisco right before the Great Earthquake of 1906 focused on friends, trash men and lots of history. I found I was interested more in the first part of the book when it was more separated out per friend then the end when the get back together (no spoilers) but overall, it was a very interesting book and very zippy. Great trip/plane book.

If you’re looking for riveting historical fiction that takes place outside of a wartime setting and tackles a variety of social issues, this is it! Kate Quinn, one of my all-time favorite authors, has teamed up with Janie Chang, author of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 (on my TBR!), to bring us a captivating story of four women whose lives become interconnected in an effort to defeat a powerful enemy, all while the clock is ticking down to the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906.

The story unfolds from the dual perspectives of Gemma, an opera singer who has fled New York City, and Suling, an embroidery artist from Chinatown. They are both chasing their dreams and working towards a life of independence when they become caught in the web of a shady philanthropist who is using the arts to further his own agenda and gain power in the city. Soon they discover their connection to each other as well as Alice, a botanist, and Nellie, an artist, and the four women band together to fight for both justice and survival in a city on fire.

As with all Kate Quinn novels, this story is impeccably researched, and Chang’s influence and style paints a vibrant portrait of lesser known facts about this era. I learned so much from about San Francisco and its proliferation of the arts at the turn of the century, along with the unconscionable treatment of Chinese immigrants and the policies and laws that further entrenched the racism, drug abuse, and poverty that afflicted this community.

From enrapturing arpeggios and glittering Parisian soirées, to the devastating earthquake and its aftermath, Quinn and Chang’s storytelling is vivid and immersive. Each woman brings something special to the story, and together they are a force to be reckoned with. While it didn’t pack quite the same emotional punch as other Quinn books, it was an immensely entertaining read that I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and UpLit Reads for the eARC!

Kate Quinn does it again- this was a wonderful dual point of view historical fiction book for fans of Diamond Eye!

(3.5⭐️) Thank you @uplitreads and @williammorrow for the #gifted free copy of this book.

“It wasn’t enough for a woman to be talented, clever, and good.”

Powerhouse historical fiction authors, Quinn (one of my forever favorite authors) and Chang (this is my first by her), combine forces to tell the tale of unlikely friends surviving the unthinkable and united for justice.

The heart of this story is its women and the bonds they form. Four dynamic females: Gemma the opera singer, Suling the Chinese seamstress, Alice the botanist, and Nellie the artist.

Alice was my favorite. She shined on these pages just as she shined in real life. I was fascinated by her. So enigmatic. So different from the women of her time. Bold. Brazen. A true standout!

These women: fully capable and talented as individuals, yet fierce and unparalleled when they joined forces. A true testament to the female bond.

The author’s note (a must read) highlights the meticulous research that went into this book. The storyline is rich in history and well explores San Francisco’s heyday in juxtaposition to the lowly Chinese community. Vivid scenes from the earthquake and subsequent fire were well depicted. I especially appreciated the look at stollen Chinese antiquities and the racist laws of the time.

For fellow Quinn devotees, it’s important to note that this read is different than what we find in her solo endeavors. With alternating narratives, the depth and complexity I associate with her writing was not prominent. Instead, the elements of collaboration are given space, allowing Chang’s style room to breathe.

It felt apropos to read a book about female friendship with some fabulous female friends: @bookmarked.by.becky @rachellelovesbooks @readingfortheseasons @sarahgreatbooktoread @shesbecomingbookish @thatsoneforthebooks

The Phoenix Crown made my to-read list because I love Kate Quinn, and now I will have to add Janie Chang's books to my to-read list as well! TPC told the story of four women leading up to and in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Despite telling the tales of fictional women, it blended their stories with real figures, including botanist Alice Eastwood. TPC is suspenseful and manages not to be too heavy, despite its setting. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for smart historical fiction with a touch of romance.