New tome on Twisted Tale’s serie! Did the title ring a bell to you? Today, the novel is about Mulan, chinese warrior and brave heroine. Headline: « What if Mulan had to travel to the inderworld? ». Not a typical question and as the point to make me bring back this novel to my house.
Card’s Book
- Title: Reflection
- Author: Elizabeth Lim
- Serie: Twisted Tale
- Publishing: Disney
- Published: 2018
- Number of pages: 384 pages
Short summary of the story offered by the Walt Disney studios.
The Huns invaded China. To face this threat, the empire decides to enlist a man from each family to mount its army. Mulan, the only child of an injured veteran, cannot find her place to live up to her family’s name. When her father is called to fight, she cannot bring herself to see him leave for certain death. She decides to take his place by pretending to be his son. To accompany her in her quest, a small dragon, Mushu, and a locust will help him on his journey. When her identity is revealed after repelling the Huns, she narrowly escapes death. However, a counterattack is brewing and she will do everything possible to save her emperor and her country. To do so, she will be able to count on the men whose respect and friendship she has won, in particular her captain, Lee Shang. Victory assured and rewarded by the emperor himself, she returns home where Shang will soon join her, ending the legend of Mulan and beginning their story.
In the Twisted version offered to us by Elizabeth Lim, the fantastic occupies a more important place than what the cartoon shows us. It features the guardians of families, one of true root of Chinese culture. The author thus shows us a part of Asian culture then very little known to most readers of the world.
The story picks up the Disney version until Mulan is injured in battle. In the twisted story, it is no longer Mulan who is injured but Shang, her captain, who is mortally wounded. He is even so seriously injured that he will die soon. Mulan feels guilty and decides to do everything to save him even if it means going to hell for it. And that’s what’s going to happen. Led by the guardian of Shang’s family, she will find herself in the underworld. It will then be necessary not to waste time since she has only a limited time, if she does not succeed, she will also remain in the hereafter. It’s a real race against time in a labyrinth where you have to be wary of everyone but also be able to accept help. Will she manage to bring them both to the surface in the world of the living?
My opinion: I liked it a lot. It’s even in front of Aladdin. The fantastic spirit based on Asian culture and legends, the puzzle to get out of it: a real escape game in the afterlife. The map of the Asian underworld happen to be as complicated as that of the Greeks or Romans. The descriptions are so well done that you immerse yourself completely in this universe. The relationship between the captain and the Ping / Mulan soldier finds its place with cohesive and very well shot revelations. In short, I love!
What better to read than this story during Halloween? Go for it to read, you can only be won over. Asian cookie from the afterlife.
Chapeau Rouge et Livres en bottes 