April 18th, 2010 Wild Orchid: A Retelling of “The Ballad of Mulan”
- ISBN13: 9781416971689
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
“Once upon a Time” Is Timeless
Wielding a sword as deftly as an embroidery needle, Mulan is unlike any other girl in China. When the emperor summons a great army, each family must send a male to fight. Tomboyish Mulan is determined to spare her aging father and bring her family honor, so she disguises herself and answers the call.
But Mulan never expects to find a friend, let alone a soul mate, in the commander of her division, Prince Jian. For all of Mulan’s courage with a bow and arrow, is she brave enough to share her true identity and feelings with Prince Jian?
Wild Orchid: A Retelling of “The Ballad of Mulan”
Tags: Ballad, Mulan, orchid, Retelling, Wild
April 18th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Prior to reading Wild Orchid, my only exposure to the story of Mulan was through the animated Disney film (which I haven’t seen since its release about ten years ago). It’s refreshing to see the Once Upon a Time series expand its boundaries from the traditional European folk & fairy tale canon. While Dokey’s fairy tale heroines tend to be somewhat similar – they want to follow their hearts and develop their own identities in spite of forces arrayed against them – Mulan’s story stands out because of the historical backdrop against which the tale is set. The expectations (both direct and unspoken) placed on Mulan as the daughter of a famous general, particularly in a society that places such emphasis on sons, gives this story an entirely different “feel” from Dokey’s other fairy tale retellings. This tale is also a shade darker than the other retellings in the series due to the war-time theme of the story. Despite the novel’s short length, Dokey makes the most of it and in Mulan creates one of her strongest and most well-developed heroines. And though Jian doesn’t appear until Mulan goes off to war, the relationship that develops between him & Mulan is pretty well-grounded. Wild Orchid is another solid Dokey-penned retelling, and injects some fresh life into the fairy tale series by shedding light on Chinese legends & culture.
Rating: 4 / 5
April 18th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
The Ballad of Mulan was a wonderful version of Mulan. I only wish that it was longer. The first half of the story was lovely and really pulled me into the story. Cameron Dokey always adds a great insight to beloved fairy tales. This is definately a must read for anyone who loves Mulan.
Rating: 4 / 5
April 18th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
I really liked this story. Although it had a few corny parts in it, in my opinion, it was written beautifully. I love how the main lead (who is female) was so strong and independent. Overall, I’m definitely glad I purchased this book, and will probably read it again. I should warn you though, it is a young adult book, so if you are looking for a challenging read, this book is not for you.
Rating: 4 / 5
April 18th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
This is the first book of this series that I’ve read, and I must say that I enjoyed most of it. However, there were several things which were not to my liking.
Firstly, the incredible amount of backstory that took up just over half the book. This story is the story about a brave girl who saved China, and I was extremely disappointed that there was not more excitement. It did pick up a little near the end, but I still felt the pace and sense of adventure lacking.
Secondly, the battle scene. This is (in my opinion) the focal point of the story, the scene which is anticipated by every reader. And when I reached it, I was at a dreadful loss. The strategy of the battle was good–I very much enjoyed their decisions regarding positions and timings and such–but I was hardly there for a minute before it was over. I would have appreciated a more thorough covering of this scene, as it is a crucial stage in the story, and there was little true sense of danger and chance, which I found most cruel to those who crave excitement in a story.
Thirdly, I felt Mulan’s voice slightly too calm and wise for her personality. Yes, she did find her true love and save China, etc., but I caught very little enthusiasm and impulsiveness in her narrative, though her actions were to my taste.
Fourthly, the prince. I was sorely disappointed in him. For me, Mulan’s true love should have been more like herself, and less like a perfect golden boy with the jealousy of his brothers, the love of his father, and such unlimited skills that I felt that Mulan would be put off by his glory. I did like the scene with him and Mulan where they drew bows together–it was an extremely satisfying part, and for me it was one of the best scenes in the book. I understand the need to make the prince seem like a counteractive to Mulan’s bold spirit, but there was no need to make him so . . . well, calm and infinitely wise and knowledgeable.
Despite these criticisms, this story is very charming and unique, and I felt the spirit of Mulan many times in this book. However much I dislike certain aspects of it, this book is well-thought-out most of the time, and I read it in less than a day.
It is certainly a series that I will revisit–very soon.
Rating: 4 / 5
April 18th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Mulan is the daughter of Hua Wei, the greatest general of all of China. But unlike most honorable daughters with a good name, Mulan isn’t very gentle or ladylike. Instead, she lives as simply as a servant in the country, where she hates learning embroidery and instead has convinced her neighbor and friend Li Po to teach her all he knows about fighting and reading and learning. But when the Huns threaten to strike China once more and the emperor demands that each family send one male, Mulan is determined to take her aging and injured father’s place. But war isn’t always a grand adventure, and having to disguise herself isn’t always easy…
The Wild Orchid is certainly one of the more enjoyable books in the Once Upon a Time series. Cameron Dokey’s magical and lyrical storytelling never gets old, and she has taken an unusual and lesser-known tale and made it enthralling and entertaining. Mulan is a character that readers can respect and sympathize with: bold and strong, but sometimes she’s a confused girl who yearns for parental love. The novel moves quickly, making it an easy and enjoyable read, though it would have been interesting to have a lengthier story that delved deeper into the relationships between the characters, had a more developed romance, and more involved scenes when it came to Mulan’s time in the army. Nonetheless, this is an uncomplicated read that is about love and loyalty and friendship that is easy and enjoyable to read, and a nice departure from the norm.
Rating: 4 / 5