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. 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.ģ) Part of the reason I read this series is because it presents me with a unique version of beloved fairy tales. In fact, if she could just keep quiet, it would seem this Mulan could do no wrong.Ģ) 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'. We do not see Mulan frustrated because she can't hit a target, and we never hear about Mulan falling off a horse. 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. As a result, it seems that things 'come easy' to her, which subtracts greatly from her heroic deeds. Although she does encounter obstacles, she seems able to pass by them with little more than luck and determination. I started off loving it, but by the end.let's just say I was a bit disappointed.ġ) Mulan never truly meets a foe she can't face. 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 was so psyched to read this installment of the Once Upon a Time Series that I went so far as to preorder it.

The Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey