The Blood Phoenix out now from Viking Books for Young Readers; 464 pages
About the Author: “Amber Chen is a Singaporean-Chinese author of SFF and contemporary fiction. She spends much of her free time living within Chinese fantasy novels and dramas, and also drinks one too many cups of bubble tea. Her debut silkpunk fantasy novel, Of Jade and Dragons, is forthcoming from Penguin Teen in Summer 2024. One of her webnovels, The Cutting Edge, has been adapted for television” (Bio from author’s website).
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The Blood Phoenix is the conclusion to Amber Chen’s The Fall of the Dragon duology, following the brilliant engineer, Ying, and her politically strategic sister, Nian, as they attempt to keep the Nine Isles intact despite ongoing dangers and betrayals. Two years after Ying completed the Engineers Guild, she finds herself swept back into a life of uncertainty when The Blood Phoenix fleet of pirates captures Ying and the High Command prince, Ye-Yang. Nian, separated from her betrothed Ye-Yang, finds company in the fourteenth prince, Ye-Kan, while navigating ongoing mysteries within the capital. This epic sequel concludes the threats to the Nine Isles and sees the protagonists facing decisions that could change their lives forever.
I am disappointed to say that despite my excitement for the sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, which was one of my favorite reads of 2024, that The Blood Phoenix did not live up to my expectations. Unlike the first novel in the duology, The Blood Phoenix has dual POV’s between Ying and Nian. I found Nian’s perspective to be a distraction from the plot and a bit dull in comparison to Ying’s, which caused this book to have a much slower pace than its predecessor. I also found myself disappointed in the decision to include a two year time gap between novels, as this separated me not only from the characters and their headspaces, but also the ongoing threats to the world Chen had established. The romances in this novel did not capture my heart like they did in the first novel either, which is likely due to the decision to have the romances not only running parallel, but also being vaguely intertwined. Despite my grievances with this sequel, it includes excellent representation of not only Chinese culture, but people with disabilities. Additionally, I must commend Chen for her aptitude in crafting visceral imagery, especially regarding the pirates in the novel and the machines and weapons that Ying builds. Although I had several issues with this book, it still has engaging writing, innovative aesthetics, and terrific representation, making it a worthwhile read to those invested in this world.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Jenica Delaney, Pine Reads Review Writer