How did no one think that the concept of plopping Mulan in the middle of Eastern Europe surrounded by white people wasn’t weird?
There was no element of Chinese culture in this book — barely any mentions of Buddhism, her language, her traditions — nothing!!!! I get that this was set in Europe but this is Mulan. Why bother writing a “retelling” if her identity is just going to be erased? It felt more like a Christian book than a Mulan book to me, and apparently to many reviewers as well.
This novel revolves around Mulan, the version this author chooses to adapt, desperate to escape the future laid out for her since she’s a woman. She wants adventure, and a chance to be something greater than just a simple wife. Later on, like the original version, she takes her father’s place in the army. THAT’s where everything ends. She eventually gets locked up so the white man can rescue the day, and she can’t stay mad because he’s a “good kisser.” Sounds fake.
This was a huge disappointment, and it baffles me how the author thought this was completely okay.
Title: The Warrior Maiden
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction
Source: ARC via NetGalley
Publication Date: February 5th, 2019
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Rating: 0.5/5
