Phoenix Extravagant

paperback, 464 pages

Published Aug. 17, 2021 by Solaris.

ISBN:: 978-1-78108-919-4

(2 reviews)

Gyen Jebi isn’t a fighter or a subversive. They just want to paint.

One day they’re jobless and desperate; the next, Jebi finds themself recruited by the Ministry of Armor to paint the mystical sigils that animate the occupying government’s automaton soldiers.

But when Jebi discovers the depths of the Razanei government’s horrifying crimes—and the awful source of the magical pigments they use—they find they can no longer stay out of politics.

What they can do is steal Arazi, the ministry’s mighty dragon automaton, and find a way to fight…

2 editions

enne📚 reviewed Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee

4 stars

A fantasy novel about a non-binary artist (and their rebellious older sister) in occupied Hwaguk, who is forced to go work for the occupying Razanei military and their painted automata.

Assorted points I enjoyed: * non-binary protagonist! other non-binary folks in the world! * fantasy technology level at "some amount of electric lights" (+feelings about that being introduced by occupiers) * (over-enthusiastic? snarky?) telepathic friends * theft of local art by occupiers made even more worse by having that be a magical plot point

Remy Rose

rated it

March 17, 2023