The Phoenix Crown

The Phoenix Crown is a collaboration of two talented Historical Fiction authors who have written a story set in the days leading up to the devastating earthquake that hit San Francisco in 1906. It was one of the biggest natural disasters in US history where over 80% of the city was destroyed and more than 3,000 people perished.

The story has four central characters - an opera singer, a botanist, an artist and a Chinese seamstress - and their bond is central to the story. Each of the female characters have suffered from a lack of agency and societal restraints and are linked by one man, Henry Thornton, a wealthy and charming businessman who plays a pivotal role in their lives.

This was an interesting read but not riveting. I felt the first half of the book was stronger as the setting was vividly described and we met the main characters (I'll admit to being surprised by a revelation - or assumption on my part - about one character!) The plot is simple and the pacing a bit slow with the beautiful Phoenix Crown playing a surprisingly minor role, but the strength of this story is the historical details. I was pulled into the sights and sounds of early 20th century San Fran and now have a clearer idea of what life was like for Chinese people at that time as they lived with rampant racism, hatred and misinformation which was used to vilify them within the larger society. 

Last week, I had the pleasure (along with a group of fellow bookstagrammers)
of meeting Kate and Janie at an author event. It is clear the two women
are close friends and I enjoyed learning about their writing and research processes. 

The Phoenix Crown is an interesting blend of history, a bit of mystery and building tension due to the countdown to the earthquake at the start of each chapter. This is a story about bravery, determination, adversity and strong women set within a fascinating era. I look forward to reading what Kate Quinn and Janie Chang write next.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Authors: Kate Quinn, Janie Chang

Genre: Historical Fiction (US)

Type and Source: trade paperback, personal copy

Publisher: William Morrow

First Published: February 13, 2024

Book Description from GoodReads: From bestselling authors Janie Chang and Kate Quinn, a thrilling and unforgettable narrative about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to the glittering palaces of Versailles.

San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace.

His patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but their lives are thrown into turmoil when a devastating earthquake rips San Francisco apart and Thornton disappears, leaving behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined . . . until the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, drawing Gemma and Suling together in one last desperate quest for justice.