I enjoyed all aspects of this book! The story was a unique magical realism theme, with a very interesting look at China in the mid1900s. The relationship between the main character, Monica and her grandparents, who are dealing with the grandmother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis is touching and at times.

Monica, young college student in contemporary Boston is working on a project with her professor that is meant to find connections of a deeper and more important level than dating apps. She meets a girl from Princeton through the program who has met her grandmother's long lost cousin in Shanghai. Alternating between China starting just prior to WWII and the present we learn the two cousins and their mothers who make and sell exquisite pencils have a magical/but painfully scarring ability to "read" what had been written with the pencils. That ability is important for the war effort and followed by the conflict between Nationalists and Communists. The entwined present and past is a thought provoking look at communication and privacy.

I received this ARC from BookClub Girl and NetGalley for an honest review. This is really a 4.5 star read for me. Not my usual genre I pick up and I have held onto it for awhile before finally reading it and now wondering why I did. This is a wonderful debut novel, bringing the two cookies of three generations together. Monica was raised by her paternal grandparents after both her parents left. Now in college, she is learning about her grandmother’s family history owning a pencil factory. Not just ordinary pencils but pencils with powers. These pencils and the unique powers her family posses bring these two generations together more, as well as drawing in connections to extended “family”. This story kept me fully engaged and intrigued to find out what happened next. The ending came together nicely, tying everything together without seeming abrupt or hurried. I would definitely recommend anyone pick this up who isn’t typically a fantasy person, because although there are elements of this, the story is just so neat, you just get sucked in!

Beautiful story of historical fiction with a touch of magical realism. The generational story takes us through generations of this family and kept me involved from beginning to end.#NetGalley #williammorrow

I feel bad DNF-ing this 😭. This is a case of “it’s not the book, it’s me.” This is a wonderful exploration of generational trauma, family, ethnicity, culture, and memory. I loved the super unique magic system of pencils containing what people have written previously with it, as well as the dual perspective chapters between a grandmother and her granddaughter. However, I just couldn’t connect to the characters or the plot. Maybe the writing style wasn’t for me? Maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace to appreciate it? I’m not sure. People who love historical fiction with elements of magical realism would appreciate this book (hopefully more than I did)!
My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in return for my review.

I was excited to read this book and also a little nervous. My mother has alzheimer's and it's a little funny, but I forgot that the description of this book mentioned it involved alzheimer's. I didn't realize it would be such a huge part of the story and it hurt to read at times, but I am glad I read it all. I noticed another reviewer felt that the romance in this was not something they enjoyed because Louise did not redeem herself enough and I have to disagree. I think that lack of redemption makes her real and Monica forgiving her anyway is the human part of this story. It's possible I do not have to suspend my disbelief because of my own emotional bond to Monica, but losing peoole and seeing people lose themselves makes forgiveness a hell of a lot easier. Often times with multiple points of view, especially with romances, one side of the story can connect a little bit less. But I didn't feel that here. It helps that the whole premise of this is remembering and keeping those stories, whether or not they are ours, but the author did a great job keeping me invested in each characters experience. The whole magic system is involves the reforger feeling these things we can't feel. The idea is beautiful. It isn't about following the current fantasy trends, it isn't some shallow plot device, it is something we would love to have in reality and it really touched me. My mother wrote poems and when I see her read them to my children and her partner, I can see her relive that time in a way she doesn't get to without those words on paper. I think I had a small note about the pleasurable way to reforge and the intimacy of that moment being followed immediately by the act of reforging, and maybe some sort of pause would do between those experiences. But in all honesty, it's such a small thing in the long run. I knew this book was going to make me cry but it also gave me some words to take off the page, to say to my mother or to my kids, or to myself, and isn't that the point of all of this? So I have notes, and I have feelings but this book will stick with me and I get to keep its words. I probably have a very different view from others who are reading this and care about the romance, but I have this feeling that this story is written more for people like me and I am grateful. I know it is already an anticipated release, but I absolutely recommend this book. I give it 4.5 stars, but I'll round up because it is more than a story to me. We WILL remember for her. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC!!

Thank you to #NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARCs that were given to attendees at the #bookhuddle Victoria Retreat!

Monica Tsai helps her grandmother Yun reconnect with her cousin Meng, after the two women lost touch following Yun's emigration from Shanghai to Taiwan and eventually to America following World War II. Yun has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but while she can still remember she passes on her family legacy to Monica - that the women of the family have a magical gift. They are able to bleed all the words that have been written by a pencil and fully understand what the writer intended and was feeling.

Monica's narrative is interspersed with Yun's memories of her life in Shanghai and how the ability shared by her mother, aunt, and cousin Meng came to exploited for espionage in the turmoil of the mid-twentieth century. This novel explores themes of who owns our stories and the ways that emotions and intentions aren't always adequately captured by words.

This was beautifully written and the magical realism element of the women's abilities enhanced the story rather than becoming the story.

"The Phoenix Pencil Company" is a delightful read that combines elements of mystery, history, and a touch of whimsy. The author does a fantastic job of weaving together a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. The story is set against the backdrop of a charming pencil company, and the attention to detail in describing the setting and the intricacies of pencil-making is truly impressive.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own quirks and motivations that add depth to the story. I particularly enjoyed the protagonist's journey as they uncover secrets and navigate the challenges that arise. The plot is well-paced, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing without feeling contrived.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its ability to blend historical elements with a modern storyline, creating a rich tapestry that is both educational and entertaining. The writing style is accessible and engaging, making it easy to get lost in the world the author has created.

While the book is thoroughly enjoyable, there are moments where the pacing slows down a bit, which might not appeal to everyone. However, these moments are few and far between and do not detract significantly from the overall experience.

Overall, "The Phoenix Pencil Company" is a captivating read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a unique and intriguing story. It's a book that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the humble pencil and the stories it can tell.

The Phoenix Pencil Company is the kind of book that sits with you, I will be thinking about Monica and Yun next week, next month and probably into next year. This is about cycles of love and loss, and how empathy for others or your past self can change your life. A low fantasy book, the world is like ours but with one difference, the ability Yun and Monica possess to reforge pencils.

This book contains a sweet sapphic romance and no homophobia. Plus one of the cutest supportive family dynamics I've ever seen, with lending of senior bus passes as a love language.

Yun does have a memory loss disorder (like dementia but I don't think it's specified on page) which is something that always makes me emotional but it was handled with care.

I found this a lot like Homeseeking, where we see how the characters are effected in China while living through the occupation of Japan and then living through a civil war in China and how it effected everyone in the family. Even though they had a special talent, I don't know if it actually is a wonder or a tragedy. I like how characters were able to connect after many years and how they both learn to forgive each other and learn the most important lesson, is to present when you are with someone. I was amazed of how Wong Yun not only escaped China but also ended up in America, she was very clever and was willing to do some unsavory things to stay in America. I also like how she reconnected with Torou in the United States and ended up getting marrying him. I found that the lives of the characters in the story to be very hard and scary with moments of gladness, almost like a Yin and Yang, never one without the other. I found the love Torou had for Wong wonderful and touching, and that he was always by her side, even when it was hard.
I found the relationship between Monica and Louisa interesting but nothing like the story of Wong Yun and Meng and what happened to them while living in China. I didn't feel the connection between Monica and Louisa very strong, but I did like Monica and how she made time to take care of her grandparents. I liked that she was able to reconnect to her father, but the connection she has with her grandparents was very touching.

I want to thank William Morrow and NetGalley for an advance copy of a story full of love and turmoil.

This was such a beautiful tale of lost connections and love that spanned across generations. I love the small magic of being able to “reforge” a pencil’s words and the implications of how this could be used, in both communications and when controlled by a government, in finding and arresting dissenters. Being able to see what the two sisters would say to each other many years later was so beautiful and the way this came together at the end had me crying on my lunch break. And if you’ve seen my reviews before, you know that if a book can evoke such intense emotions it is a 5-star read for sure!

In a way this is partially an epistolary story because of the pencils and how the story from the past is being told and I absolutely love this story even more for that.

Thank you to @williammorrow for the ARC. All thoughts are my own!

Wow, this is such a touching story of family generations, what we sacrifice for those we love, and how each of those decisions sometimes arent always for the better, the things we sacrifice for love and for safety, and the memories we chose to hold on to or to forget for those reasons. Full review to come!

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a dual timeline story, told by a grandmother and granddaughter, in China and Taiwan in the years before, during, and after WW2 and in 2018 Massachusetts. The women of this family have the magical power to "reforge" pencils, meaning they can, through somewhat violent means, save the words and memories recorded by particular pencils.

I really wanted to love this, and there was much to love. My very tepid review is in the absolute minority. I really loved this family and these characters, and I especially loved the relationship between Monica and her grandparents. Having recently read Homeseeking, I also enjoyed learning more about China during this era; the sense of place is so well done, and this is a place and time in history I've known so little about.

Sadly, it did not work for me. I needed more background and explanation for this type of magic, and I also felt the messages about memory and stories and how we record them were very mixed. It also read very YA to me. All that said, I believe we are just seeing the beginning of what this author has to offer, and I wish her the very best!

The Run-Down: The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King is a perfect example of a contained, quietly brilliant story that rests on the author’s clarity of vision.

Review:
Few books gain access directly to my heartstrings so quickly as The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allision King did. There’s something wholesome and vulnerable about our protagonist, a reclusive college-aged protagonist who loves the grandparents who raised her fiercely. Monica is a computer science major who works as a research assistant for a project called EMBR, an app that aims to harness data from people’s digital journal entries to facilitate genuine human connections. She uses her access to EMBR to find and contact her Chinese American grandmother’s long-lost cousin, Meng, with whom her grandmother, Wong Yun, worked at a Shanghai pencil factory during the second World War. This use of technology to reunite these estranged nonagenarians sounds like the start of a feel-good story headline, but it causes immense upheaval in Monica and her grandparents’ lives. The women who ran the Phoenix Pencil Company in Shanghai did more than manufacture pencils: they possessed a magical ability allowing them to access the words and feelings of anyone who wrote with those pencils. This power resulted in a series of choices and betrayals that Monica’s grandmother would prefer be left in the past—but when she is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, her memory becomes a precious resource on borrowed time.

Monica is desperate to understand her grandmother more deeply before her inevitable decline, but she is also terrified that knowledge of her grandmother’s past will taint her image of the woman she adores and idolizes. The reconnection with Meng also puts her in contact with a Princeton student named Louise, a young woman determined to archive the life stories of women in occupied Shanghai. As Monica’s tentative relationship with Louise blooms, she finds herself in the crosshairs of power, jealousy, desire, love, and tragedy that shaped her grandmother’s life so long ago.

The palpable love between Monica and her grandparents creates the emotional stakes central to the novel. King doesn’t shy away from depicting the unconditional love and support her grandparents provide to Monica. She illustrates their domestic joy with small details (Wong Yun loves Arby’s because of their stellar coupon deals; the grandfather, a retired MIT professor, spends time on internet forums answering student mathematics questions). The grandmother’s life story illuminates how hard-won their household bliss is—and the Alzheimer’s diagnosis is a looming specter of loss that promises to destroy it.

The Phoenix Pencil Company is one of those special novels that exists because it needed to be told, and King has the clarity of vision and dedication to tell it. The book stays true to its characters and themes because her authorial voice is clear and measured throughout. It takes courage to believe in that vision, conviction to put it to paper, and talent to render it so emotionally effective. If there’s one thing King understands, it is the cost of storytelling. The novel interrogates the ethics of transforming memories into stories that can be harmful, weaponized, or warped in their telling. Louise and Monica’s academic ambitions illustrate this risk in the realms of data privacy and history, respectively, while the characters’ relationship dynamics address how stories can both forge and endanger interpersonal bonds.

In this book, King reminds us that others do not owe us their stories. I am grateful that she decided to share this one with the world.


Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love how this book managed to blend historical fiction with magical realism which created something beautiful. I felt invested as we explored love, loss, and the real stories of our past.

This was a really wonderful book that I'm so glad I got to spend time with. Magical realism mixed with historical fantasy and some very sweet romance - a little bit of everything.

Monica is deeply relatable, as is her grandmother Yun. The dual timelines and POVs wove together a beautiful narrative about stories, memory, and love. This book was special and memorable in a way I don't have many words for, but please know that it's more than worth a read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I truly enjoyed this sweeping historical fiction story with a dash of magical realism. The characters of both Monica and her grandmother as our POV characters were so well crafted. Each with their own stories and perspectives but both relatable and engaging. At times I was much more engaged with the historical parts of the story than the present day but enjoyed how it all came together at the end.

The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King is a captivating debut that seamlessly blends magical realism with historical fiction. Set against the backdrop of WWII-era Shanghai, it follows Monica Tsai, a college freshman, as she uncovers her grandmother Yun's secret past working at a mysterious pencil company with the power to "Reforge" memories . The novel weaves together themes of family, memory, and identity, exploring the connections between generations and the stories that define us. King's inventive narrative and richly drawn characters make this a standout read for fans of literary fiction with a touch of magic.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this digital e-arc.*

The Phoenix Pencil Company is a poignant and impactful dual pov novel from the journal entries of a grandmother and her granddaughter. When Monica gets in touch with a girl named Louise who says she has a pencil from her grandmother's estranged cousin, she has no idea her entire world is about to be upended. Yun's recounting of her childhood in 1940s Shanghai, penned to her estranged cousin, was such a stark contrast to Monica's telling of the current events of their life in 2018. King truly captured Yun's grief and guilt at what transpired in Shanghai with her cousin and what she had to do to not only escape war but the shadows of a life that haunted her still. Monica adores her grandmother, and it's so clear from her perspective how differently she sees what unfolded as she grapples with a new reality, the story of the Phoenix Pencil Company, her grandmother, and Louise. This is a fantastically complex story that is embroiled in grief, love, war, and loss. As someone who has memory loss run in her family, I truly empathized with Monica as she processed her grief for her grandmother and the pre-emptive loss that comes with losing someone far before they leave.

4 stars

This intriguing debut features a fascinating premise regarding the way we build legacy and connect with others. It's a modern take on an age-old query.

Monica is a young woman but she is most deeply impacted by the oldest surviving generation of her family. Her grandmother's unreliable memory highlights Monica's fear that she'll not only experience an inevitable loss but a figural one, too, as her grandmother begins to change and even fade before her eyes. Monica's desire to know her grandmother as well as she can and to piece together a newer, more solid understanding of who she was and is takes an unexpected turn through a creative use of magic. While I sometimes find fantasy and/or magical elements detracting vs. compelling, that was not my sentiment here. King's application of these through lines highlights the ways in which our connections and general life experiences are to some degree magical in themselves.

I've taught college mythology courses for two decades, and the central area of focus is always on this joint notion that mortal beings are both fascinated by their own existences (and impending ends) AND that we use stories to perpetuate ourselves and our loved ones far beyond our short times together. King effectively explores these core concepts through her work and leaves readers looking forward to more.