Description:
A bullet-riddled train staggers into a Chinese station in 1920, and Lucy discovers that her father, a Russian officer, has been kidnapped. A mysterious feather guides her into a dangerous realm of magic and monsters to rescue him. But she knows she can't take on the quest alone. With her friend Su, a girl as quick with words as with her fists, the two uncover the terrifying truth: a notorious warlord has seized Lucy's father. Worse, he is about to invade their city. The friends brave the criminal underworld, cross a haunted forest, and outsmart creatures they thought lived only in fairytales. But will their wits and bravery be enough to beat the warlord's army of human soldiers and magical beasts?
Soar into a grand adventure, a world of Chinese and Slavic myths ... into the world of The Phoenix and the Firebird.
Brief description: Trained as an anthropologist and now an international teacher, Alexis Kossiakoff is fascinated by the meeting of cultures. Alexis' research into the history of her family, who escaped from revolution and war in Russia to China, inspired the writing of The Phoenix and the Firebird.
Review Quotes:
"With cinematographic crispness, this romantic vision of a distant time and culture conjures up a tale of friendship, family, and magic... I was enchanted." - Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked
"A joy from start to finish! The world was brilliantly imagined, the plot filled with excitement and I loved the fusion of Chinese and Russian folklore. A vivid and exciting adventure story - kids will love it!" - Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song
"A Peking caught between an imperial city and a new republic; a world where harsh reality mingles with myth and magic. Warlords, exiled Russians, gangsters, a child in search of her father. There are worlds within worlds in old Peking - real and imagined. Kossiakoff and Crawford bring them all together and to life." - Paul French, author of Midnight in Peking and City of Devils
"Crawford and Kossiakoff guide us on a magical journey through Chinese and Russian folklore that is welcoming to readers of all ages. It's like an epic film that has come alive on the page." - Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of Bernardine's Shanghai Salon
"Immersive and captivating, the hidden treasures within the pages of this multi-faceted historical fantasy will enchant readers of all ages. The seamless weaving together of Chinese and Russian folk-tales makes for a lush tapestry of mythic resonance; foregrounded by an immensely human tale of the search for lost family, and the finding of friends in unexpected places. Lucy and Su are likeable, relatable heroines, and the backdrop of 1920s China is as evocative and enchanting as the mythic figures that help and hinder the two friends on their journey." - Viki Holmes, author of Girls' Adventure Stories of Long Ago
"With its richly realised settings, action-packed plot, and cleverly integrated elements of Russian and Chinese folklore and philosophy, this novel is sure to appeal enormously to young readers - and to older readers too!" - Emma Pass, author and editor
"Russian sojourner Lucy in chaotic warlord-ruling China embarks on a perilous feat to rescue her father from a warlord's clutches, with the help of her witty Chinese friend Su. Mythical friends and foes appear to aid and thwart their attempt. One can't but root for the two undeterred friends. The magical story, told in melodic prose, held this reader rapt with wonder throughout. An absolute gem of a read!" - Alice Poon, author of The Heavenly Sword and The Earthly Blaze
"The Phoenix and the Firebird' is an exquisitely written, deliciously fun, and often moving historical fantasy novel. Readers with any familiarity with Russian and Chinese fairy tales will find so much to delight in here; readers without, so much to discover. Richly steeped in these mythologies, 'The Phoenix and the Firebird' is a gripping, touching story about sacrifice, bravery, belief, and the meaning of home, that will enchant and mesmerize readers from middle-grade to adulthood. Highly, highly recommended." - Kristen Loesch, author of The Last Russian Doll