Bianca has been pestering me to actually post something on this blog—apparently it wasn’t enough that I created it, I have to use it as well.
I’ve decided to begin with a review of a book about a Dragon (it seemed apropos), specifically Yoon Ha Lee’s Phoenix Extravagant. The story follows Gyen Jebi, who, like real-life wyrms, doesn’t adhere to the standard male/female set of pronouns. I’ve never quite understood what the obsession with he/she is about that you humans have. I’ve used the pronouns Ze/Zis/Zim all my life without any issue, like all wyrms. But this is neither here nor there. So, Jebi is an artist, but they can’t seem to be to find work. They live with and are supported by their older sister. Now, the story is what my assistant describes as “silk punk”, which I take to mean that it’s a fantasy story set in a world similar to the Far East. Specifically, the land they live in, Hwaguk, is similar to Korea and is being occupied by a country, Razan, that is similar to Japan. The comparisons are actually extremely interesting.
I digress. Jebi finally finds a job with Razanei Ministry of Armor, and they become embroiled in the conflict between the Razanei occupying force, and the Hwagugin rebels. The dragon, it seems, is a secret weapon they intend to use to subdue the rebels and Jebi is hired to use magic paints they have created to bring the creature to life.
The story is extremely well written and includes many culture nods and to Lee’s Korean heritage that the reader can detect even in how the story is written. The characters have clear personalities and their motives and actions manage to create believable individuals. I do, however, believe that Lee could have added more plot to the story (especially with the intriguing dragon character). Overall, highly enjoyable and you would be wise to read it.
-XQZ the Bookwyrm