Review: Phoenix Extravagant

 

Sooooooooooooooo, you're probably wondering, or you're probably not, as to why I am so late with this review. If you weren't, very good, here's a kith [mwah]. If you were, I know it is a short book but my brain was screaming Iwaoi and Yakulev fanfic. And whatever ADHD brain wants, ADHD brain gets.

Phoenix Extravagant, written by Yoon Ha Lee, follows the story of Gyen Jebi. Gyen Jebi had only one intention, they just wanted to paint. They never thought they would get involved in war and bloodshed. In fact, Jebi hated war, they wanted to stay far away from it. But when Jebi gets recruited to repair the automaton dragon, there might be more than just repairs. Crimes, murders, dirty secrets, all that might drag Jebi into more mess than they might already be in.

QUICK THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: 3.7/5, it was just okay I guess? It did not make me feel anything much.

PROS:

1. Narration: I really enjoyed it. It's easy flowing, soft and kinda rolls off the tongue when you're reading. It really doesn't drag much, which I pretty much adore in novels all the damn time and it's a really strong point because if I sense your book is dragging, YEEET it goes into the DNF zone. I wouldn't even have second thoughts about it.

2. Rep: Jebi is non binary and uses they/them pronouns. I will not lie, that is precisely why I actually started reading this book. Non binary rep. As a fellow member of the non binary community [genderfluid to be exact], it made me happy to see rep. Because god freaking damn non binary rep is so damn rare in literature it angers me to no end. 

Polyamorous rep, my polyamorous little self was so happy to see polyamory in books. Because while enby rep is rare, polyam rep is rarer. Do you know how much serotonin it is to see it? Like, fellow polyam folks out there having more than one partners and no one batting an eye about it just, ideal life bro.

3. Badass moments: Okay Jebi has some pretty badass moments. When they just brought down an earthquake by just painting, that was some pretty hardcore shit bro, that's cool af. Like man, I'd give my soul to bring about earthquakes. Well first is arson but then earthquakes.

CONS:

1. Characters: The main characters seemed flat and one dimensional to me. And more of stereotypical. For a book that seemed to break most of the stereotypes, it kinda broke my heart to see stereotypical characters. Cause man, that just is a black spot on your perfectly white shirt.

2. Turn of events: Flat and predictable. Too predictable for that matter. Maybe I've read too many books to see what would happen but it's kind of a turn off. And off-putting? I don't know it just kills the mood when you're reading but you kind of predict everything that happens in the book.

3. Lack of imagery: Serious lack of it. You can't expect me to read something and expect me to be able to imagine everything of it without even having gotten any description of it. That's just torture to your brain yo. Books are for relaxation, not to torture the fuck out of my brain. I do not sign up for it when I start reading a book.

MOST FAVOURITE CHARACTER:

Hak. She doesn't get much screen time. Is screen time an accurate word for books? I don't know mate, I just watch a whole lot of movies most of the time when I'm not reading. Eh who am I kidding, I watch only movies when I am not reading, having reached writer's block [I need to get back to my writing soon though]. Anyways, we are not here to know how I am already shambling  my already shambled life, my main instagram is for that. Anyways, yeah, Hak is my most favourite character. I'd already developed a fondness for gumihos when I'd read "Wicked Fox" by Kat Cho and not gonna lie, her death hit me like a fire truck down the hill during "Hill Climb Racing 2" [that was an awesome game tho]. And she provides shelter to Jebi when they're kicked out. That's a plus point.

LEAST FAVOURITE CHARACTER:

Bongsunga. I get it she was the leader of the resistance and that she's got responsibilities, but her attitude towards Jebi is pretty rude. There were times I just wanted to slap her for being rude to them. I mean Jebi deserves love and more care because they're a smol bean [like Kairi Miura but that's something else]. Point is, even great leaders have been known to show love and care to their loved once and I wanted to bonk Bongsunga on the head because bitch, no tsun-tsun to your own sibling.

OVERALL, AN OKAY READ, I don't know whether I'll put this as a good-okay or bad-okay. Just okay-okay.