Book Review: “Silver Phoenix” by Cindy Pon
Several Years Ago
A baby boy was born prematurely to one of the concubines to the Emperor.
The baby is clearly not related to the Emperor and if the baby is seen, he will be executed along with his mother.
Luckily, a plan is in place to get the baby out of the palace…..
Now
Ai Ling’s father has to go on a trip to the Palace where he used to be a high official in the Emperor’s court.
He promises he will be gone 2 months at the most.
Before he leaves, he gives Ai Ling a necklace given to him years before by a Monk……for his current, or future, daughter.
3 months later, Ai Ling is worried about her father and sets off to the Palace to find him.
This adventure, turns out to be very dangerous as she meets demons, monsters, and the possessed along the way. (Many of them from “The Book of the Dead” that she found in her father’s library a few years ago, and read against her father’s will.)
Luckily……the necklace protects her! A good, and surprising, thing!
Ai Ling also has the ability (since she turned 16 last year) to touch the spirit of these creatures and people to find out what they are thinking. Interestingly, this ability is growing more powerful with each meeting.
After an encounter with an underwater demon, Ai Ling is saved by a young man, Chen Yong, who is also traveling to the Palace.
Ai Ling inherently trusts Chen Yong (why?) and the two…….
Oh, to find out what happens you will have to read the book.
“Silver Phoenix” is a a terrific fantasy filled with intrigue, action, drama, and….. demons. Ai Ling is an intelligent young woman who finds that she has additional powers that make her a formidable opponent against these demons.
I have book #2 in this two part series and will read it soon. 🙂
