shonaningyo's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great revisit to the classic Cinderella story. It has the poorly mistreated Cinderella as Xing Xing, the stepmother and the spoiled stepdaughter, but what I really enjoyed about this story was that while the stepmother and her daughter were awful to Xing Xing, there were moments where they were actually civil and nice to Xing Xing. The stepmother was selfish but in reality she had her own reasons for acting that way (hint: Girls are considered shit in this society and therefore need to be wed off to a rich man because that's how you bring honor and respect to the family).
The stepsister was initially a bit of a brat but being expected to endure foot binding at the age of, I don't know, 12 or 13 when the expected age was 6 [b]and[/b] land a husband with what that society perceived as big feet AND be forced to lay around all day in a cave with nothing to do and cope with the fact that , yeah, I'd be a bit of a snot to your well-meaning stepsister (Xing Xing in this case) too.
This book gives a delightful narrative of the mindset of this patriarchal society (I hate using that word because of how overused and nasty it's become when used by feminists but bear with me) that values boys over girls and forces the latter to go through painful and humiliating hoops in order to appear desirable to prospective men. It's a quick read and I think a good casual introduction to historical Chinese culture.
The stepsister was initially a bit of a brat but being expected to endure foot binding at the age of, I don't know, 12 or 13 when the expected age was 6 [b]and[/b] land a husband with what that society perceived as big feet AND be forced to lay around all day in a cave with nothing to do and cope with the fact that
Spoiler
a raccoon bit off your toes and your mother decided to chop off the partner toes of the other foot to matchThis book gives a delightful narrative of the mindset of this patriarchal society (I hate using that word because of how overused and nasty it's become when used by feminists but bear with me) that values boys over girls and forces the latter to go through painful and humiliating hoops in order to appear desirable to prospective men. It's a quick read and I think a good casual introduction to historical Chinese culture.
mary_r_m's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoy [a:Donna Jo Napoli|18684|Donna Jo Napoli|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1268450123p2/18684.jpg] as an author. Her way of retelling a fairy tale never ceases to amaze!
Four flying stars for [b:Bound|444324|Bound|Donna Jo Napoli|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347612170s/444324.jpg|433070]!
Four flying stars for [b:Bound|444324|Bound|Donna Jo Napoli|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347612170s/444324.jpg|433070]!
thisbookishcat's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
4.0
Although this book is short, it is a beautiful, twisted retelling of the classic Cinderella story. I read this as a child, not knowing what foot binding was and how atrocious a practice it was. This book really makes you feel for this free-spirited girl who wants nothing to do with these customs and traditions.
If you're looking for a quick read, or you want to teach and discuss with your children about these sorts of practices, this is something I would highly recommend.
If you're looking for a quick read, or you want to teach and discuss with your children about these sorts of practices, this is something I would highly recommend.
bookbutch's review against another edition
5.0
I was at one time in my childhood obsessed with both Cinderella retellings and Chinese foot binding. This book found me at the perfect time. I had been thinking about this book a couple months ago and was so shocked when I saw it in my college library. I’m very glad to have reread it as an adult.
melli80's review against another edition
3.0
It was a great short read, I was a little disappointed in the end only because it ends so abruptly. But besides that very good version on the Cinderella story.
fluffy8u's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting ancient Chinese version of Cinderella, it goes into Chinese traditions and how they shape Xing Xing's life.
The ending has kind of a rush-to-finish-my-homework kind of feel though. While it's a proper ending (I would have felt wronged and cheated any other way), it's not 100% real like the rest of the book. Like the author said "Uh oh. Deadline's coming up. Gotta hurry and finish."
Still a pretty good read.
The ending has kind of a rush-to-finish-my-homework kind of feel though. While it's a proper ending (I would have felt wronged and cheated any other way), it's not 100% real like the rest of the book. Like the author said "Uh oh. Deadline's coming up. Gotta hurry and finish."
Still a pretty good read.
eternallyunsatisfied's review against another edition
5.0
I adore this book. Xing Xing is such a wonderful character and is intelligent and kind. The writing was compelling, and the ending made me extremely happy. I would most definitely read this again, and recommend it to anyone who loves fresh takes on the age-old story of Cinderella.
genbell's review against another edition
3.0
A retelling of cinderella in ming China. A short and sweet book with historical details and ambiance.
themadshatter's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75