The Phoenix Crown is my 5th Kate Quinn. But it's the 1st one that she wrote with a co-author. And that co-author, Janie Chang, was not only able to hold her own with a superstar. But she matches her page for page. In fact, I like her and it so much that I have already purchased one of Janie's books so I can immerse myself in her solo efforts.
But how is the book, you might be asking right now. It's really good. The story begins in San Francisco 13 days before the1906 earthquake. And it centers primarily on 2 women. One is an opera singer, who is in the city as part of a troupe. And the other is a young Chinese woman who, because of the business her family has, spends quite a bit of time outside Chinatown. Each chapter, for a good portion of the book, alternates between the 2 protagonists.
Of course we see what happens when the earthquake hits. But equally important is what happens to the 2 women, along with 2 other women that are a big part of their group. in the 5 years that follow. This is historical fiction at its best. Even if you didn't grow up in the San Francisco Bay Area, you certainly have heard about the earthquake. Kate and Janie create a very detailed picture of when it happened and its aftermath. Bravo to these 2 fine authors!
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