Abstract
Reviewed by: Mulan: Before the Sword by Grace Lin Fiona Hartley-Kroeger Lin, Grace Mulan: Before the Sword. Disney, 2020 [352p] Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-368-02033-6 $16.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-368-05518-5 $10.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 4-7 Grace Lin (Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, BCCB 9/09, etc.) brings her signature folklore-inspired quest adventure to this prequel/companion to Disney's forthcoming live-action Mulan. When her beloved younger sister falls ill from a bite from a nine-legged white spider, young Hua Mulan joins forces with a famed healer, the mythical Jade Rabbit, to seek out the cure. They must journey to the garden of the Queen Mother's palace on Kunlun Mountain to pluck the Essence of Heavenly Majesty. Opposing them at every turn is the evil Daji, a shape-shifting White Fox spirit who is determined to thwart a prophecy about the Hua sisters. Storytelling interludes are interspersed with accounts of the helpers and obstacles, each endearing or exciting, the heroes encounter. Though there's never any doubt Mulan will succeed, the haunting figure of Daji's assistant, the Red Fox, provides an underlying counterpoint of tragic defeat and betrayal. Elements such as Mulan's physical strength, her loving but fraught relationship with her family, and a prophecy about a great destiny give hint at what's to come in future adventures. An author's note and partial bibliography of Chinese history and folklore are appended. [End Page 266] Copyright © 2020 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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