kblincoln's review against another edition
3.0
I am constantly on the outlook for historical fantasy featuring a strong, female protagonist in a non-Western setting. (and I am especially partial to China, Mongolia, Japan, and Korea).
So when I encountered this book I had my "please let this be good" stars in my eyes.
I think sometimes that desire to find a book obscures any kind of chance at an impartial reading, or just a general, enjoyment reading of a book.
In this case, while the main character of the book was compelling (lamed foot in a nomadic, horse-riding culture of the steppes) and her interaction with her grandmother/shamaness and with the male soldiers really interesting, I found the most interesting parts of the book to be somewhat rushed and summarized instead of allowing the reader to soak up every detail.
For instance, the climax of all the signs and portents Oyuna has experienced, her conviction that Bayan, the white mare she risked her entire life to follow by pretending to be a boy and riding after the Khan's army when they requisitioned the mare, is the most important thing in her life is tested when Bayan is struck down by a mysterious disease. And that's fine, but the journey to get the cure for this disease, linked as it is with her grandmother's death, should be the compelling climax of the book, and instead we get a mostly summarized version. The final race that Oyuna wins at the end feels tacked on, almost an afterthought, when it had been the focal point of her dreams her whole life.
If I could have given this book 3.5 stars, I would have. I enjoyed the references to culture, the mare's milk, the military customs of the Khan's army, and the day to day life Oyuna must navigate, are all really interesting. The writing itself never intrudes on the story, althought the framing device of Oyuna-as-grandmother talking to her grandaughter as a mare gives birth felt a little contrived sometimes. And the episodes of her danger with the Khan's army, the escape from the station mistress who would marry her off against her will, and the cave of death were all very exciting.
In the end, however, I still haven't found the book I was looking for, and that may be more my fault then that of the Milk-white Jade Horse.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: Pita chips and hummus, delicious, crunchy with interesting bits and creamy with a smooth narrative, but in the end you still crave something else to go along with it.
So when I encountered this book I had my "please let this be good" stars in my eyes.
I think sometimes that desire to find a book obscures any kind of chance at an impartial reading, or just a general, enjoyment reading of a book.
In this case, while the main character of the book was compelling (lamed foot in a nomadic, horse-riding culture of the steppes) and her interaction with her grandmother/shamaness and with the male soldiers really interesting, I found the most interesting parts of the book to be somewhat rushed and summarized instead of allowing the reader to soak up every detail.
For instance, the climax of all the signs and portents Oyuna has experienced, her conviction that Bayan, the white mare she risked her entire life to follow by pretending to be a boy and riding after the Khan's army when they requisitioned the mare, is the most important thing in her life is tested when Bayan is struck down by a mysterious disease. And that's fine, but the journey to get the cure for this disease, linked as it is with her grandmother's death, should be the compelling climax of the book, and instead we get a mostly summarized version. The final race that Oyuna wins at the end feels tacked on, almost an afterthought, when it had been the focal point of her dreams her whole life.
If I could have given this book 3.5 stars, I would have. I enjoyed the references to culture, the mare's milk, the military customs of the Khan's army, and the day to day life Oyuna must navigate, are all really interesting. The writing itself never intrudes on the story, althought the framing device of Oyuna-as-grandmother talking to her grandaughter as a mare gives birth felt a little contrived sometimes. And the episodes of her danger with the Khan's army, the escape from the station mistress who would marry her off against her will, and the cave of death were all very exciting.
In the end, however, I still haven't found the book I was looking for, and that may be more my fault then that of the Milk-white Jade Horse.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: Pita chips and hummus, delicious, crunchy with interesting bits and creamy with a smooth narrative, but in the end you still crave something else to go along with it.
missprint_'s review against another edition
4.0
I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade by Diane Lee Wilson was selected as a Best Book for Young Adults in 1999 by the American Library Association. I didn’t know any of that when I read the book back in 2000. My copy has since disappeared, but at the time, this was a rare book that I owned. Thinking about it now, my mom must have procured my copy during her tenure as a researcher at Harper Collins.
But enough about me, this is about the book after all.
A quick and dirty way to define this book, oddly enough, is in terms of a cartoon movie. The plot here is similar to the legend of Mulan, which I know from the Disney version released in 1998 (I can’t believe it’s been a decade, good grief). Although her motivations are different, our heroine does follow a group of soldiers while disguised as a boy. The difference? Mulan went to war to fight the Huns. The main character of I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade is a Hun.
At the best of times, living on the Mongol Steppes involves harsh conditions. For Oyuna that is even more true. As a young child, almost beyond the range of her memory, a beautiful horse came near Oyuna. Fascinated, the child knew that her future–her entire life–would be tied to horses. She knew this to be true even as a horse stepped on her foot, effectively crippling her for life. Add into the bargain the fact that every member of Oyuna’s family are now anxious to keep her away from horses for fear of another unlucky incident that will further burden the family with bad luck.
Every family member except her grandmother that is, who (as the back cover convenienty points out) tells Oyuna “The horse claimed you as its own and invited you upon its back to travel with the wind.” Oyuna believes in her grandmother’s words even more when she crosses paths with a swift, white horse.
Positive that their fates are cobbled together, Oyuna dresses as a boy and follows her horse when it is commandeered by the Khan’s army. Oyuna’s path leads her not only to her horse, but also directly to the court of Kublai Khan, and–even more valuable–the knowledge that she has the power to change her own luck once and for all.
If my mom hadn’t given me a copy of this book, I never would have picked it up. But I’m glad the book came into my possession. Oyuna is an arresting character, with a strong narrative voice that makes this work of historical fiction feel very contemporary and relevant. Not an actual princess, Oyuna can’t strictly be called an “anti-princess” heroine. All the same, I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade presents a strong girl making her own way (in a great story).
marlo_c's review
5.0
I read this aloud to my 6th grade daughter as part of her curriculum. What a lovely surprise! We enjoyed it immensely. Packed with adventure and engaging characters, we were transported to a time and place extremely foreign to us. The instant we finished the book, my daughter was searching to see if there was sequel. Good read indeed!
lamusadelils's review against another edition
4.0
Si alguien viaja al pasado, no olviden llevarle este libro a la Barrita de 10 años que lo habría amado con locura.
svaughn's review against another edition
4.0
Horses, a courageous young girl, overcoming adversity, a touch of magical realism, and excellent storytelling? This is a fantastic YA novel (geared even a bit below typical YA maybe but didn't stop me from loving it).
kmdahlgran's review
4.0
I liked this book. There were a couple of sections that were iffy as it was getting started, but then the story really picked up and I didn’t want to put it down. I appreciated the story being told by Oyuna, and her persistence through everything that she did. She didn’t stop just because she was a girl, but kept pushing toward her goal, even when she wasn’t sure how exactly it would all work out.
powellen's review against another edition
3.0
The prose in this book is lovely - tangible yet poetic, almost musical in its descriptions and phrasing. I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade is a fascinating and gritty story, exquisitely told. And if it looked to me like a middle grade novel on the outside, I found it to be less so on the inside.
For all its beauty, I found more rough patches than I anticipated. The author wove a great deal of mythology and Shamanism into the narrative. In general, I tolerate and even appreciate it when authors include cultural and religious aspects into a book they write - it adds layers and sets context often necessary to the reader's understanding of the story and characters. Yet, in this historical novel, its fingerprints are present quite often in the storyline, as though portrayed as the true and right and good. And I could not reconcile what I saw in the book with what really is true and right and good. Ultimately, the immersion into the spiritual aspect of the culture disturbed me more than it enhanced my experience.
Additionally, I struggled with some scenes that dealt with harshness of humanity, which jarred my senses and left me feeling like I'd drunk a shot of sour milk. There was nothing wrong with them, per se - they fit the context and weren't necessarily inappropriate. Yet, they were like blots in the landscape of the novel that I wish I didn't have to remember when I think of the book. I can't put my finger on precisely why this would be the case... so, take this with a grain of salt. Maybe this book is just not my cup of tea :)
I Rode of Horse of Milk White Jade is full of raw, living moments caught in breathtaking prose. It's a beautifully told story. But the story itself is cumbered with more disturbing aspects of the religion and culture than I care for, in the end offsetting the beauty and flow that - I feel - could have made it into gorgeous adventure.
For all its beauty, I found more rough patches than I anticipated. The author wove a great deal of mythology and Shamanism into the narrative. In general, I tolerate and even appreciate it when authors include cultural and religious aspects into a book they write - it adds layers and sets context often necessary to the reader's understanding of the story and characters. Yet, in this historical novel, its fingerprints are present quite often in the storyline, as though portrayed as the true and right and good. And I could not reconcile what I saw in the book with what really is true and right and good. Ultimately, the immersion into the spiritual aspect of the culture disturbed me more than it enhanced my experience.
Additionally, I struggled with some scenes that dealt with harshness of humanity, which jarred my senses and left me feeling like I'd drunk a shot of sour milk. There was nothing wrong with them, per se - they fit the context and weren't necessarily inappropriate. Yet, they were like blots in the landscape of the novel that I wish I didn't have to remember when I think of the book. I can't put my finger on precisely why this would be the case... so, take this with a grain of salt. Maybe this book is just not my cup of tea :)
I Rode of Horse of Milk White Jade is full of raw, living moments caught in breathtaking prose. It's a beautifully told story. But the story itself is cumbered with more disturbing aspects of the religion and culture than I care for, in the end offsetting the beauty and flow that - I feel - could have made it into gorgeous adventure.
torlin_keru's review against another edition
3.0
This is a solid YA book. It has a good message, lots of stuff happening, and interesting historical/cultural elements.
One thing I liked about it was that the girl was a product of her time--she was just as superstitious and ritualistic as the people surrounding her, at least initially.
One thing I liked about it was that the girl was a product of her time--she was just as superstitious and ritualistic as the people surrounding her, at least initially.
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