Mulan: Before the Sword by Grace Lin

The “prequel” to the new Disney Mulan movie, this middle grades story weaves together Chinese legend with Mulan’s own tale to great effect.

Mulan: Before the Sword (Disney Mulan) by Grace Lin. Disney Press, 2020. 384 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, age 10-12

Recommended For: Ages 8 and up

Mulan is a well-recognized figure in modern American culture. After all, in the animated film, she (along with her trusty dragon sidekick) saves the emperor! Cue the funny one-liners and fantastic soundtrack. Mulan was actually based on a real Chinese legend and is similar, in some ways, to the Western character of Joan of Arc. In Mulan: Before the Sword, Grace Lin weaves together Chinese folklore and legend to paint a picture of Mulan much more in keeping with traditional Chinese understandings than the previous Disney movie (thankfully, the modern live action film does so, too).

As the story opens, Mulan is desperate to save her sister, Xiu, from a poisonous spider bite. She runs into the Jade Rabbit (a character from Chinese mythology), and together they travel on a quest to find the only antidote. Along the way, the Jade Rabbit tells Mulan many stories from Chinese legend. The two travelers are also dogged by the evil witch, White Fox, and her helper (a red fox). Repeatedly, the White Fox throws obstacles in their way, and repeatedly the Jade Rabbit (and, later, another character) tries to overcome the trials. In the end, though, it is Mulan herself who must act to save both the Jade Rabbit and her sister.

Those familiar with Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon series will recognize a similar style at work in this novel: the central plot interspersed with stories from legend. Like Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, too, the legends become inextricably intertwined with the primary plot as the two progress to a joint end. Mulan is a brave young woman who must use both her brain and her “brawn” to be a hero; she also learns to tell truth from lies and to resist temptation. The sub-plot surrounding the White Fox and the Red Fox gets a little convoluted at times, but all’s well that ends well. Readers will come away with a better Mulan story than the animated film, an appreciation of Chinese tradition and culture, and food for thought (see considerations below).

Considerations:

• As mentioned, there is a witch in this story who casts spells. This is in keeping with traditional literature and larger-than-life mythological characters.
• If readers have seen either Mulan movie, have them compare/contrast the character of Mulan as she is portrayed in the different treatments. Which do they like better? Why or why not?
• The White Fox’s attempts to lure men and women to her side bear marked resemblance to the Garden of Eden and the forbidden fruit. Encourage your young readers to compare the ways Satan tempts Eve in the garden with the ways the White Fox tries to tempt Mulan. How is Mulan able to resist temptation? (hint: she focuses on what is true and the words the Jade Rabbit has spoken to her.)

Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5

• Worldview/Moral Rating: 4.25 out of 5
• Literary/Artistic Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• 3 Reviews: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Starry River of the Sky, and When the Sea Turned to Silver (“read-slikes” also written by Grace Lin)
• A Resource: China Through Time (a nonfiction book)
• A Resource: What to Read After Watching Mulan (a Book List)

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