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The Wild Orchid: A Retelling of The Ballad of Mulan

(Once Upon a Time)

Cameron Dokey

3.87 · Rating details · 5,969 ratings · 500 reviews

"Once upon a Time" Is Timeless

Wielding a sword as deftly as an embroidery needle, Mulan is unlike any other girl in China. When the emperor summons a great army, each family must send a male to fight, tom-boyish Mulan is determined to spare her aging father and bring her family honor, so she disguises herself and answers the call.

But Mulan never expects to find a friend, ...more

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Paperback, 224 pages

Published February 10th 2009 by Simon Pulse

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Jul 18, 2008 Allison rated it it was ok

Shelves: 1owned, genre-fairytales

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was so psyched to read this installment of the Once Upon a Time Series that I went so far as to preorder it. Besides the fact that I was interested to see how the series would present a non-european tale, I was very excited because I'd never really heard the story of Mulan (disney film excluded, of course). I started off loving it, but by the end....let's just say I was a bit disappointed.

I have four main complaints:

1) Mulan never truly meets a foe she can't face. Although she does encounter I was so psyched to read this installment of the Once Upon a Time Series that I went so far as to preorder it. Besides the fact that I was interested to see how the series would present a non-european tale, I was very excited because I'd never really heard the story of Mulan (disney film excluded, of course). I started off loving it, but by the end....let's just say I was a bit disappointed.

I have four main complaints:

1) Mulan never truly meets a foe she can't face. Although she does encounter obstacles, she seems able to pass by them with little more than luck and determination. As a result, it seems that things "come easy" to her, which subtracts greatly from her heroic deeds. Although it is clear she works hard for her skills, the author's desire to show Mulan as a determined strong woman overrides the realism of the story. We do not see Mulan frustrated because she can't hit a target, and we never hear about Mulan falling off a horse. In fact, if she could just keep quiet, it would seem this Mulan could do no wrong.

2) Because of the length of the book, important characters, such as Mulan's father, stepmother, her lover, or MOST importantly Prince Guang (who the author seemed to think was the main antagonist, despite the fact that he does NOTHING in the book) get almost no "screentime". Because of this, Mulan's "close" relationships with them seems forced, while relatively minor characters, (such as her childhood friend, Li Po) get a lot of mention, despite the fact that they play a minimal role in the story.

3) Part of the reason I read this series is because it presents me with a unique version of beloved fairy tales. My favorite books in the series are the ones that alter the "traditional" tale, either by changing the story itself (as is the case with Golden and The Crimson Thread), by placing the story in a non-traditional context (As Water Song did by taking the classic tale of The Frog Prince and setting the story in the middle of World War I), or by slightly altering an important aspect of or point of view in of the story. Perhaps this is just because I don't know the story well, but I felt that this version of Mulan had NONE of these qualities. Sure, there was a unique, independent, forward-thing heroine, but in every other way I assume this was a typical retelling of The Ballad of Mulan.

So it seems to me that the very fact that it is not a european story makes it "unique" enough to be included in the collection. And although the story's origin DOES make it special, I don't think being ethnically different from the other tales in the collection makes this story a truly unique retelling.

4) The book itself seems very unbalanced, with the first 50 pages alone focusing on Mulan's early childhood. Although I am normally a huge fan of backstory, in a book of less than 200 pages, the author does not have the leisure of using 1/4 of the book's volume just to discuss the protagonist's childhood. This is especially frustrating in this tale because these 50 pages seem to suggest something horrible looming in Mulan's immediate future- but in actuality, the arrival of her father and new stepmother are ultimately POSITIVE changes.

This, in and of itself would not necessarily ruin the book. However, the author adopts a rather leisurely pace, and so Mulan does not actually leave her home until page 112- leaving the heroine a mere 87 pages to establish herself as a soldier, meet the love of her life, worry about her hidden identity, experience camp life, see battle, fall in love, take down the Huns and save all of China. And yet, despite the small number of pages, the author manages to make Mulan's heroic deed and blossoming romance less interesting than the girl's quiet country childhood.

I can't say I hated the book. It was cute, and I did enjoy Mulan's narration- as misleading as it was. I also liked the "asian flavor" this story brought to the series, although it still seemed very European to me. But due to poor planning, the novel managed to be short AND meandering, which is, in my opinion, quite a feat. Perhaps this was Dokey trying to adopt a more eastern style of writing, or perhaps she was merely trying to stretch out a very short story. Whatever the case may be, I can honestly say this was not my favorite installment of the Once Upon A Time Series. Still, if you liked the Disney film, or are a fan of the series as a whole, you may want to pick this retelling up.

...more

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Feb 14, 2017 enqi ☁️✨ kell maresh lovesite rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: standalones, 2017, diverse-reads, library-finds, badass-heroines, historical-romance

Hua Mulan's tale is renowned among my people. I am of Singaporean nationality and of Chinese race, and therefore it is a part of our culture and tradition. Where I grew up, every child will undoubtedly come to know of the fearless, brave female warrior who disguised herself as a boy and went to war in her father's place, ultimately saving all of China.

Mulan's story is a gem, a diamond in the rough, especially in this patriarchal society where women are believed to be less capable than men. Yet ...more

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Oct 10, 2009 Cara rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Cara by: Valerie

Shelves: fantasy, fairy-tales

Now I am an "official" I guess you could say fan now. I've read a substantial amount of these books, and now I have to read them all. Dokey is the author that writes most of these retellings and for a good reason. She's excellent at setting the stage but for some reason at the climax you just want more, but I'm happy to report that this one felt totally satisfying.

Here we have the story of Mulan. I thought that it was an interesting idea to put this in the fairy tale category. I wouldn't have Now I am an "official" I guess you could say fan now. I've read a substantial amount of these books, and now I have to read them all. Dokey is the author that writes most of these retellings and for a good reason. She's excellent at setting the stage but for some reason at the climax you just want more, but I'm happy to report that this one felt totally satisfying.

Here we have the story of Mulan. I thought that it was an interesting idea to put this in the fairy tale category. I wouldn't have thought of it myself but it does fit oddly enough. Unfortunately I don't have much background of the original tale. All my information prior to reading this book came from the Disney version. No worries it isn't a repeat and definitely gives the movie a run for its money.

Mulan never has meet her mother or father. Her mother died in childbirth and her father is a a highly respected general in the Chinese army. General Hua is heart broken when he hears the awful news because he got to marry for love, which was unheard of. He just can't face his daughter until one day he has to. Mulan is not like any girl in China. This annoyed me a little because I mean China is a HUGE country with billions of people, not one of them could be like her? Really? That aside you do see that Mulan is one of a kind because she has this yearning to be herself. She can sew, embroider, shoot an arrow, ride a horse, read, write and wield a sword. And because of all her skills and passion she will become a true hero of China.

This one is one of my favorites. Dokey captured the Chinese culture well. You sense how much respect they show for others and the importance of honor. Li Po (her childhood friend) teaches all she knows and I could see what was going to happen to him in the end. There is so much more action (not that much but a lot more than the others) and I appreciate that Mulan and Prince Jian are not physical knockouts but their characters are so bright. I loved it and that's all I can say without giving away too much. ...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Abby rated it it was amazing

I loved Mulan (the disney movie) as a kid, but I forgot how much until I read that book. I now remember why I loved it and now love it again.

Smart and Brave Heroine: CHECK
Mulan has literally virtue that I admire: bravery, strength, I love that she isn't afraid to be different or to be herself. She just wishes she could be herself without disgracing her family or her warrior father. She is so brave and strong. She is one of my favorite Heroines now.

Sweet and Brave Hero: CHECK
Even though he's not ...more

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Sep 03, 2009 Valerie rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, retellings

Cameron Dokey never fails to get her point across. I love the Disney movie Mulan so I had no doubt that I wouldn't at least like this book. I'm getting used to these short books.

Mulan is a great protagonist. She is different from other girls and longs to be taught something other than embroidering and being a proper young girl. So she learns (from her neighbor and friend)to read, shot arrows, sword fight, etc. Basically what boys are supposed to be learning, not girls. The only downside to this ...more

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Feb 24, 2009 Ruth rated it really liked it

Prior to reading Wild Orchid, my only exposure to the story of Mulan was through the animated Disney film (which I haven’t seen since its release about ten years ago). It’s refreshing to see the Once Upon a Time series expand its boundaries from the traditional European folk & fairy tale canon. While Dokey’s fairy tale heroines tend to be somewhat similar – they want to follow their hearts and develop their own identities in spite of forces arrayed against them – Mulan’s story stands out ...more

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May 15, 2017 Katherine rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, kick-ass-mc, literary-retellings, young-adult, instalove-express, romance, and-we-ll-never-be-royals

”I have not led an ordinary life, nor a life that would suit everyone. I took great risks, but because I did, I also earned great rewards. I found the way to show my true face freely, without true fear. Because of this, I found true love.

Oh, yes. And I did save China.”

WTF IS THAT STATEMENT.

I’m sorry, but it should be the other way around, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. It fits with this book’s purpose, but unfortunately, it reads nothing like the Disney movie you know and love.

Mulan was one of the first ...more

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Jan 06, 2017 Marguerite (M) rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: lovers of retellings

Shelves: _romance, female-protagonist, retelling, _historical, _drama, 2017

Let's get down to business
To defeat the Huns
Did they send me daughters, when I asked for sons?

(Yes they did)

Who doesn’t know about Mulan and how she saved China ? Cinderella ? Pfff. Sleeping Beauty ? Try again. Snow White ? I may look like her, but let’s stop there. I dreamt of being Mulan, of being a hero. Of being as good or better than a man. As a child, Mulan was the ultimate strong woman in my eyes, and she kind of still is.

You're the saddest bunch I ever met
But you can bet, before

...more

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Jul 07, 2019 Katie rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2019-reads, genre-fairy-tale, date-2000-2010, author-female

The more I read of Cameron Dokey's Once Upon a Time series, the more I recognise her format. She starts really well, with lots of scene setting and description, and then there comes a point where she hurtles towards the ending.

The same thing happens in this book. The set up is good. We meet Mulan and her family and friends, and then she goes off to war and, where the book should slow down and give more detail, and have some conflict, it just speeds towards the ending and wraps everything up too ...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Elevetha rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lovers of fairytales retold, reimagined, or twisted on it's side

Shelves: images-involved-in-review, fairytales, historical-whatnot, insta-love, gorgeous-covers, fantasy-adventure, adventure, fairytale-retelling, 2010-or-before

2.5 stars. Retelling of "The Ballad of Mulan". Enjoyable enough to read.

It really focuses on Mulan and her family. I liked that a lot. Her relationships with her father, step-mother, best friend, etc. are believable and sweet. I especially liked how close her father and her became by the end of the book. And I truly appreciated the step-mother being nice and caring; not a witch.

It is pretty much all Mulan's childhood and growth into a young woman until her family receives the summons for a man ...more

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Jul 10, 2015 Emilia rated it liked it

Shelves: growing-up, love, reviewed, fairy-tale, retelling

The story of a warrior

I love the story of Mulan. It's such a beautiful tale of honor, courage, and strength. Fairy Tale retellings are my favorite things to read and Mulan is a story that isn't often retold so having the opportunity to read it was awesome.

The writing was ok. If I'm being honest I wasn't the biggest fan of it. I didn't really like the whole recounting old events. I guess it gave it more of a fairy tale feel, but still I wasn't the biggest fan. Having read a lot of fairy tales, ...more

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Apr 08, 2009 Jennifer Wardrip rated it really liked it

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, read-by-other-reviewers

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Mulan's mother died during labor. Her father, a great General in the army, was heartbroken. He's never been home since he heard the news. Thus, Mulan lost both her parents on the same day.

Mulan is not your typical girl. Instead, she climbs trees and despises needlework. She meets the boy next door and the two of them form a friendship. He teaches her archery, how to ride a horse, how to use a sword, and, finally, how to read and write.

When her ...more

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Oct 31, 2010 Lindsey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Fun, quick read. I'm always happy with a happy love story ending as well.

I do have to say that I think they could have gotten a more oriental looking girl to model for the cover. I'm annoyed by the girl every time I look at the cover.

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Mar 16, 2019 Chelsea rated it liked it

Shelves: library-reads, young-adult-fiction, retellings, romance, east-and-southeast-asia, war-fiction, folklore-and-fairy-tales, historical-fantasy

"It's just...being a girl is so hard sometimes. It always seems to be about pleasing somebody else."

The Wild Orchid is a reimagining of the Chinese ballad of Mulan, the girl who pretended to be a man so she could take her father's place in the emperor's army, amassed to fight the Mongolian invaders.

From the perspective of viewing this as a retelling, this novel was nothing spectacular. The characters slowly unfurled and blossomed into themselves and their relationships and interactions were ...more

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Sep 12, 2019 Aldo Xante rated it it was amazing

i think this book is really good and it tells a intresting story

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Sep 19, 2019 Nirvana Valladares rated it really liked it

it was okie dokie artichokie. :> goodbook...

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Sep 19, 2019 Matthew Cabrera rated it really liked it

book was good and really interesting and i liked it a lot. I would recommend it.

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Apr 23, 2018 Nicollette Winiewicz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018, fairytale

Retelling of Mulan. I've always thought that it was more plausible of her to already have a background in archery, and swordplay that to just up and join the Chinese army and automatically become a hero that saves China.

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Jun 24, 2018 The Daydreamologist rated it it was amazing

Shelves: a-true-treasure, after-my-own-heart, inspiring, reading-slump-remedy, touching, fairy-retellings, a-mix-of-everything-i-like-in-books, beautiful, author-committed-murder, clean

If you're a fan of disney, even if in a distant, secret, 'I'm-not-going-to-admit-it kind of way, you've probably heard of Mulan. Frankly, she's my favourite Disney Princess, but that doesn't really matter.
Anyways, you might understand why I was a bit hesitant to start this retelling , as it might spoil my favourite heroine for me, in plain words. But I shouldn't have worried one bit. This was heartwarming and heart touching, to say the very least. The movie and the story are a fairly different ...more

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Sep 26, 2014 Drew Graham rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: me

Young Hua Mulan has never met her parents. Her mother died giving birth to her only child, and her father left to war shortly after, too pained at the sight of the cause of his beloved wife's death (a daughter, no less) to remain. Raised by the same nurse who watched over her mother, Mulan wants nothing more than to be allowed to be herself and engage in her own interests -- not suffer through wearying weaving and endless embroidery, but learn to ride, shoot, read and write with her friend, a Young Hua Mulan has never met her parents. Her mother died giving birth to her only child, and her father left to war shortly after, too pained at the sight of the cause of his beloved wife's death (a daughter, no less) to remain. Raised by the same nurse who watched over her mother, Mulan wants nothing more than to be allowed to be herself and engage in her own interests -- not suffer through wearying weaving and endless embroidery, but learn to ride, shoot, read and write with her friend, a boy named Li Po from a nearby household. (Though of course her secret and deepest desire is to learn more of her mother and earn her father's respect and affection.) When the great General returns unexpectedly from the battlefield, Mulan is put to the test in more ways than one, and only hopes she can fulfill her hopes and dreams.

Full disclosure: This book isn't my usual fare, and it definitely wasn't written for me. (Even typing out that synopsis makes me feel a little silly about having read it.) But, when looking up books about Mulan for my Disney source material read-through, this one came up, and I thought (before realizing that it was part of the Once Upon a Time series...) that it would be fun to read a novelized retelling of this story, and it actually wasn't the worst. It wasn't totally original or compelling literature, but the writing wasn't offensive and the storytelling clipped along just fine. It was kind of shallow and tried for a lot more artistry than it actually accomplished, but it was harmless. They made Mulan into a little more of a tomboy than I like (the whole point of her going to war is that it's totally out of her comfort zone), but I liked Li Po and the relationship between Mulan and her father. I think it felt a little too long (oh, the introspection...), and at one point I wondered if she even would go to war in this version, there just didn't seem to be many signs even as far as halfway through, which means that, yes, the war part seemed a little tacked on and rushed, especially considering it's supposed to introduce the potential soulmate and all, but it checked all the boxes and I'm sure was just enough war and battle drama for those who typically read this genre.

This book thought it was really deep, and while it wasn't, it was still harmless fluff. It's a loose adaptation of the legend of Mulan, and it has some modern sensibilities infused in (Middle Ages for the modern reader, I guess), but it also actually has some nice touches of authenticity here and there. It wasn't offensive as literature but it's definitely not my thing. This is my first, and probably last foray into this Once Upon a Time series, but if I had to read one in my lifetime, I have a feeling this was probably an okay one to read. ...more

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Sep 20, 2009 JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young_adult, fiction, z_read_in_2011, own, reviewed, z_author_american, fairy_or_folk_tale, 3_stars, covers_i_like, z_setting_china

Mulan's mother died in childbirth, leaving her father heart-broken. He can't bring himself to come home from the battlefield and visit the child who cost his beloved wife her life. When he finally does return home after the emperor dismisses him, he finds Mulan a young teen who very much has a mind of her own. She is a brilliant, talented girl. Her best friend Li Po teaches her to read and write and shoot a bow and arrow. Her caretaker teaches her embroidery. Of course there are bumps along the Mulan's mother died in childbirth, leaving her father heart-broken. He can't bring himself to come home from the battlefield and visit the child who cost his beloved wife her life. When he finally does return home after the emperor dismisses him, he finds Mulan a young teen who very much has a mind of her own. She is a brilliant, talented girl. Her best friend Li Po teaches her to read and write and shoot a bow and arrow. Her caretaker teaches her embroidery. Of course there are bumps along the way as Mulan and her father get to know each other for the first time. But when the Emperor summons his men to fight the Huns, Mulan knows that she can't let her injured father go fight as a regular soldier. Those archery lessons just might come in handy after all.

This was a decent book, but I have a couple of complaints. I was excited to read a non-Western fairy tale re-telling. And while I did enjoy the story, and I really liked Mulan herself, this book stayed a little too faithful to what I know of the legend from the Disney movie. I enjoy re-tellings that add an unusual twist to the story, or develop characters more fully. I don't really feel like I got that here. Mulan was pretty well-developed, but I can't say the same for any of the other characters. There are two separate love stories, and I have to say that I was surprised by both. Sure, I knew they were going to happen, but it was just sort of like they met and they were in love. There was no buildup to it. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed. I don't know what could have been done to change that, but I read the big crashing climax and was left thinking, "That's it? All this build up for that?"

Those complaints aside, I did like Mulan a lot. I wouldn't call myself a tomboy, but neither can I imagine mindlessly embroidering my life away. I wouldn't have the guts to do what Mulan did though, and I admire her for doing it. It's always fun to read about characters who do what you can only dream of.

I'm being harder on this than I really intended to be. It wasn't bad, I just think that it could have been better. As it is, I'll probably quickly forget that I ever read it. If you don't mind such a straight-forward telling of the story, you will probably enjoy this one. ...more

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Oct 01, 2011 Janus the Erudite Artist rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-paperback

Not exactly a tale that I find memorable and exciting. I appreciated the first parts of this book but as the story progressed, I came to notice how shallow and uneventful it turned out to be.

I didn’t get to know the characters very well. Mulan’s character was fairly established but as for everyone else, I just got a glimpse or two of their names and not much of their personality. I also find that Mulan’s love interest, Prince Jian (…is that his name? correct me if I’m wrong.) a very unreal ...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Angela rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, books-library-owns

This is the second book I have read by Cameron Dokey. Although I liked this book better than Golden, I had problems with it. Not big problems, but problems are problems.

First, the character’s name. After Mulan disguises herself as a boy, she calls herself Gong-shi, meaning Bow-and-Arrow. I don’t know where the author got the name from, but it should be Gong-jian. (view spoiler) Which is sort of ...more

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Mar 25, 2010 Iris rated it did not like it

The one star is prolly due to my expectations, of which this book has fallen sorely short of. I like fairy tale retellings as much as the next fantasy fan, but i think Cameron Dokey has some of the best retellings out there. What i appreciate most from her writings are her ability to inculcate insight into her stories. However though insight was present in the Wild Orchid, i felt that more depth into Mulan's story was sorely lacking. My main problems with her book invovled the story of Mulan. I ...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Dorothea rated it really liked it

Okay, so I'm on a Cameron Dokey kick right now. Probably because I need to escape into a bit of fairy tale fantasy and probably because they're a quick read so I can handle it time wise. I enjoyed this retelling of Mulan. It was a nice change of pace to get away from all the European based fairy tales and read something set in China. It makes you want to be brave and go out riding your horse while wielding your bow and arrow. I wish there had been a little more development between her and her ...more

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Dec 24, 2008 Jessie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fairytales

5/5/09

3 1/2 stars really.

It was an interesting story, I liked the development of the family relationships, but I felt like the romance was glossed over. Oh, sure, their hearts beat as one and now they are suddenly in love...

6/5/15

I read this last night and thought that I hadn't read this book before. If I hadn't seen the review above, I would still believe that. I guess that's a sad commentary on my memory these days that the book didn't seem familiar at all!

This time my perceptions put it at 4 ...more

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Sep 06, 2009 April rated it liked it

Shelves: ya, diverse, own, fantasy

I read The Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey back in April for the Dewey Readathon. This young adult book retells the ballad of Mulan. It’s a bit more in-depth than the Disney film — but lacking the awesome songs (and yes I totally have Be A Man on my iPod).

Set in Imperial China, Mulan is tough as nails. She can heft a sword, run through mud without freaking out, and isn’t very girly. So, she’s chilling out in the woods behind her house with her BFF, Li Po – who taught her literacy and archery ...more

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Mar 11, 2014 Theodosia of the Fathomless Hall rated it it was ok

Shelves: thus-shelved-so-i-can-find-reviews

2.5 Stars. This was the second installment in the Once Upon A Time series (the other in that capacity The World Above) and both by Cameron Dokey, who writing I like.
In total it's a fine book, I've not read or watched in other interpretations of Mulan, but from what I've seen it seems like it does justice. . . I wouldn't be that authority though!

My biggest and only gripe was this: DID MULAN HAVE TO END UP WITH JIAN FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE? It's supposedly set in the Sui Dynasty of China, if you're ...more

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Apr 28, 2009 Miss Clark rated it liked it

Recommends it for: Anyone who loves fairytales

Shelves: fairytale-fantasy-sci-fi-mythology

I quite enjoyed this installment in the "Once Upon A Time" series, even though Mulan's story is not actually a fairytale. I have never read the original legend of Mulan, so my only knowledge of the story comes from many viewings of Disney's animated film version.

Many have complained about how much time is spent on the beginning of the book on Mulan's childhood, but I actually liked getting to really know Mulan before she goes off and does her heroic deed. Then again, the ending seemed ...more

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Nov 13, 2016 Jennifer rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-reads, 52-book-challenge-2016, library-books

More of a 3.75
I thought I would give this book a higher rating but I just couldn't. I found the beginning of the book very slow paced. It took about 115 pages for Mulan to actually leave home. I was hoping the story would pick up quicker, but it didn't. Then when the story did start to pick up, it was over. I enjoyed the book but that's pretty much it. I liked the last 70 pages that's why it got the .75 otherwise it would have just been a 3 star book. I will continue with the Once Upon a Time ...more

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Sinopsis en Español // Synopsis in Spanish	1	1	Nov 20, 2014 12:23PM
¿Por qué no una traducción al Español?	1	1	Oct 22, 2014 01:00PM
Translation to Spanish, why not?	1	1	Jul 11, 2014 09:48AM
What is the best book in the Once Upon a Time Collection?	13	40	Jun 14, 2014 04:39PM

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About Cameron Dokey

Cameron Dokey

843 followers

Cameron Dokey is an American author living in Seattle, Washington. She has a collection of over 50 old sci-fi and horror films. Cameron was born in the Central Valley of California. Cameron grew up reading classical literature and mythology, perhaps due to her father, Richard, being a teacher of Philosophy, Creative Writing, and Western Literature.

Cameron has one husband and three cats, and is ...more