Two generations, magic pencils, and modern technology explore storytelling and the power of human connection.
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
Summary
The Phoenix Pencil Company was a slow burn for me at first while I figured out what the story was supposed to be about. Around the middle, though, it really picked up speed, and I couldn’t wait to learn more about the characters and their stories.
The novel alternates between two generations of women, Monica and her grandmother Yun, and between two different forms of story keeping. Monica is a computer science undergraduate involved in a groundbreaking new technology called EMBRS. EMBRS promotes itself as a connection tool that uses data mining and journal entries to connect people. Monica keeps her journal online, backed up on servers in two different countries. Her story begins with being abandoned by both parents and raised by her loving grandparents, as she navigates young adulthood and discovers her talent for code writing.
Yun’s story takes place decades earlier. She grew up in Shanghai during the Japanese occupation of World War II. Her family owns the Phoenix Pencil Company, known for producing the most beautiful and highest-quality pencils in China. The women in her family possess a magical power called Reforging, the ability to retract words once written by these pencils. During the war, this power becomes invaluable for passing secret information without leaving evidence behind. Yun lives with her mother, aunt, and cousin, Meng, who all Reforge pencils to aid the Chinese government.
Eventually, Yun and her immediate family flee China for Taiwan, leaving behind her aunt and cousin. While in Taiwan, Yun meets Tontou, who soon leaves for America on a scholarship to MIT. Yun later devises a plan to get to America herself by offering her Reforging skills in California, though this work involves betraying Chinese Americans critical of the Nationalist government. Yun’s sympathetic nature ultimately drives her to flee that situation as well.
Back in the present timeline, Monica becomes deeply involved in EMBRS, earning her professor’s trust as a key contributor to the project. She decides to use the technology to help her grandmother locate Meng. This leads her to Louise, an undergraduate studying the art of archiving and preserving stories. After Monica finds a social media post showing Louise and Meng together, she tracks Louise down, and the two quickly develop a close friendship.
Monica journals about her self-discovery, her relationship with Louise, and her fears surrounding her grandparents’ declining health. Yun writes her own story using a Phoenix Pencil Company pencil, recounting her relationship with Meng, the war, Reforging, and her escape from China.
Review
This story highlights the importance of storytelling and preserving the past, and how our stories can help the people in our lives understand us better. It also explores the morality of sharing, both in person and online. Are some things best kept private? Is there a moral difference between scraping the internet for personal information and Reforging a person’s pencil without their knowledge? The book presents a timeless lesson about the expectation of privacy.
A beautiful parallel is drawn between the magic of Reforging and the power of an internet search. Pencils, after all, are a form of technology. Communication has existed since the beginning of time. The medium has evolved, but the moral questions surrounding it have not. Do we give up our right to privacy simply because we write something down or use a public platform? Can the collection of someone’s data be justified if the cause is considered noble, whether during wartime or in pursuit of personal connection?
I loved this story. World War II historical fiction is my favorite genre, but I rarely encounter novels set in Asia during the war. This was a truly magical story. The comparison between Reforging pencils to retrieve written words and scraping the internet for personal data is simple yet incredibly powerful. It forces the reader to ask: where do we draw the line between preserving stories and respecting privacy?
The character development is deep and relatable, with many distinct personalities coming together. No one has to change who they are to be loved. Acceptance is given freely. The blend of old-world magic and modern technology is woven beautifully through generations of women. It was a pure joy to read! The world is vast, and this novel reminds us that our connections, and the stories we choose to share, hold it together with love and kindness.
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