A review by bisexualwentworth
Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee

  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

There's a lot that I love here: the worldbuilding, the magic system, the prose, the women with swords, the mechanical dragon. I think that Yoon Ha Lee accomplished exactly what he set out to do with this book. Unfortunately, I think that the concept is just fundamentally not super compelling for me. The execution is as strong as it could have possibly been, but Jebi just isn't an interesting enough main character for me. I would have loved either a more slice of life story or a more action-packed story, but again, those aren't the books the author wanted to write, and that's okay. I will absolutely be reading his other work cause I think there's a lot of good stuff here. I did wish the book was longer, but I do appreciate a good quick fantasy standalone.

The first and second half of this book are very distinct in terms of vibes and pacing. I preferred the second half, but I think the first half may work better for a lot of readers. Very much a personal taste thing.

Anyway, this book isn't a new favorite, but it did leave a positive impression and I would definitely recommend it.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings