Mulan: L'antidote (Disney Dangerous Secrets) (2024)

Dado que Disney+ sigue sin llegar a Latinoamérica y que no tendremos Mulan sino hasta diciembre, decidí leer este libro que había visto recomendadísimo en muchos lugares.

Mulan: Before the Sword es una especie de precuela a la vida que normalmente conocemos de Mulan, así que aquí nos encontramos con que ella aún es pequeña y tiene una hermana menor a la que tiene que proteger. Un día, a su hermanita la pica una araña muy venenosa y su vida corre peligro. Entonces, Mulan, a quien le han dicho que debe comportarse más como una señorita, decide dejar todo atrás e irse en una aventura épica junto al Conejo de Jade para conseguir los ingredientes para el antídoto que salvará a su hermana. Sin embargo, pronto se dará cuenta de que su travesía es más de lo que parece, pues también hay una profecía en juego.

Realmente este es un libro bastante sencillo y cuyas aventuras son cortas y rápidas, sobre todo cuando involucran ciertos elementos reconocibles de la mitología oriental. Pero lo que sí debo decir es que, llegado cierto punto, la historia se me hizo un poco repetitiva y sentía que no avanzaba en la trama principal. Sí, es divertido leer todas las pruebas y penurias por las que deben pasar Mulan y el Conejo de Jade. Y sí, también es interesante ver todo el asunto con las villanas y las Zorras Roja y Blanca, pero llegó un momento en el que sentí que le estaban metiendo mucho relleno al asunto. Así que quizá por eso al final no disfruté tanto el libro.

Pero bueno, dejando de lado eso, creo que esta es una historia genial en la que se recalca que no sólo las jovencitas propias y bien portadas tienen un futuro, sino que el ser diferente y osada como Mulan te puede llevar a grandes momentos.

Yo definitivamente busco mucho más en los libros de lo que encontré en esta precuela, pero eso no me impide asegurar que Mulan: Before the Sword es una historia que seguramente el público middle grade disfrutará muchísimo.

I've enjoyed everything by Grace Lin that I've read thus far. She's best known for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, and other fantasies, but I like best her underappreciated realistic middle grade fiction novels about Pacy, a Taiwanese-American girl (The Year of the Dog is the first). Anyway, liking Lin, I gave this Disney-licensed story of Mulan (it slots in as a prequel to the movie) a try. It was very good, but it was the sort of quest story in which the characters are on a journey, and, encountering an obstacle, overcome it only to encounter another one, and so on. This tends to make me restless. Still, there was much lovely storytelling, and I expect most fans of Lin's fantasy works will love it. I wonder if fans of Disney princesses in general who happen to read it will too.

It does seem to me, that Mulan, as a character from folklore, shouldn't be owned by Disney at all, and that Lin could have written this book, which is very much her own, without their logo on the cover. But I hope for her sake that the magic kingdom's marketing might wins her some new readers. 3.5 rounded up.

filled with the same magic as Where the Mountain Meets the Moon... can we get an animated movie of this pls

A must-read for Grace Lin fans, Mulan fans, and fans of beautiful (family-friendly) writing. I read this out loud with my girls and we all loved it ♡ Read this before seeing the new movie!

"You are a mighty warrior."

As a standalone
This is a cute and charming tale and can most certainly be read on its own. If it were an entirely original story, I would like it a lot more. Mulan is, as one would expect, a brave character whose main fault lies in self-doubt as a result of her mother's constant complaints in regards to Mulan's supposed lack of femininity. It's quite a traditional quest type of story in which Mulan sets out with one of my favourite creatures of Chinese mythology: the Moon Rabbit. They meet other friends and foes along the way as they travel to the Kunlun Mountains to find a cure for Mulan's sister who has been poisoned. The characters, even the villains, are likeable in their own ways. It's adventurous, they travel to wondrous places and the race against time makes it an easy page-turner.

A personal struggle with Lin's writing, though, has always been that it sounds very child-like. Of course, her books are all middle grade so that is to be expected to an extent. But while I find her tales charming, they aren't as engaging to me as other middle grades I've read. Nonetheless, this seems like a perfect little book to read together with a child, the short chapters also go well with that.

As a prequel
This did not work. I find that Before the Sword breaks the foundation of Mulan's actual story. There is something special about this ordinary girl setting out to war purely for the sake of her family. She is new to the world beyond her village, new to battle and strife yet she finds the courage in herself to rise above it all and become the warrior so many love. This is diminished if we send her off on a grand journey before these events. Honestly, what's setting out to a mortal war next to a girl who has fought her way to the heavenly emperor alongside immortal beings? She overcomes monsters and magic and I quite simply find this too grand an adventure to be a realistic prequel to Mulan. It's even worse when one considers that the events of the war and her role in it are prophesied to her. That just ruins her entire motive of setting out in the first place.

Another issue I had, which does not relate to this being a prequel, was how some of the language was used. I've always appreciated how Lin weaves some Chinese words into her works, it gave it a nice and authentic touch. But this time there was one thing that really threw me off. The Moon Rabbit doesn't have a name and Mulan always refers to him as Rabbit. A later addition to the group starts to call him Tuzi which is the literal word for Rabbit. This might be me just nitpicking but you can't suddenly use Tuzi as a name when you've been calling him Rabbit otherwise. Either give him an actual name or choose a consistent language by which you want to call him - Rabbit or Tuzi, not whichever way the wind blows.

To sum things up, the plot in and of itself is a nice and charming story - it's well worth a read. I don't think it is a good prequel but I would also like to think that younger readers might not put that much thought into what this means for Mulan's character development.

This story focuses on Mulan, before she saves the emperor (like in the movie). This is set a while before that, when Mulan wonders if she will ever be able to honor her family, because she is seen as outspoken and spirited. A good book, full of side stories that tell the tales of the gods.

As someone who watched the Disney Mulan dozens of times as a child (just to see someone like me on the tv), this book was reminiscent enough to the cartoon, leads into what we have seen from the trailers of the new movie, but in a totally unique way. Grace Lin took pieces of Chinese mythology (much like her chapter book series "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon") and manipulates them in ways to create a fantasy adventure full of suspense, curiosity, and mystery.

The simple plot (of Mulan going on a journey with the Jade Rabbit to heal her sister from the bite of a 9 legged spider) gave a canvas for the book to introduce many mythological characters with intertwined stories.

The character development of Mulan encourages young girls to see themselves in a new light and go against the grain, no matter what that might be. This theme has guided my whole life since the Disney cartoon and this prequel did not disappoint.

Mulan: Before the Sword is so much more than a great story. It is mythological-inspired fiction fused with Disney heroine-ism. Disney princesses are one thing; Disney warriors are another.

Before Mulan took her ailing father’s spot in the Chinese military, she embarked on a quest to save her sister, Xiu. Seeking out a unique healer to assist in finding a cure for Xiu’s deadly spider bite, Mulan’s reality hits the pause button and an extraordinary exploration ensues; complete with prophecy and powerful enemies.

Despite 68 mini chapters, I read Before the Sword in two sittings. Two sittings, and not one, only because I decided I should probably go to work. Telling my boss that I was too busy to come into the office because I was with the Jade Rabbit of Legend on a mission to retrieve the Essence of Heavenly Majesty would have roused too many questions.

Questions much better answered here.

Grace Lin’s Mulan prequel is the stuff of myth and legend – quite literally. In the Author’s Note, Lin shares her inspirations for the story. We learn that some characters are based on popular Chinese figures, folklore and even real people. A cultural window and thrilling Disney adventure, it is mandatory that this story, too, be passed down.

Lin’s Mulan is consistent with what reader’s expect of Mulan – strength, superficial clumsiness, and the broad theme that she must bring honor to her family. We are first introduced to Mulan in Before the Sword while she is riding her horse, Black Wind, and the reader immediately feels the warrior, the speed; a girl always in motion. Beyond this welcome consistency, the story is Lin’s own. It comprises the perfect amount of foreshadowing to what we know happens in Disney’s Mulan but otherwise explores unchartered territory: childhood memories, immortals, and a collection of stories. As the villainous White Fox “is poetically skilled with her poison,” so, too, is Lin skilled in the art of storytelling.

The story’s messages ignite the soul. The characters experience love, loss, fear, yearning and – prominently – temptation. Life’s journey is littered with things to be admired but resisted at all costs. This reoccurring theme is explored alongside many others, including uncertainty of situation and of self. Ultimately, the road to overcoming self-doubt may be long and treacherous, but it is attainable, especially with the support of friends and the endurance of family. You may suffer greatly, but you have “a spirit of iron, one that [does] not break easily.”Mulan: Before the Sword is a compelling inception of narratives and a modern treasure. It was one of my favorite books this year and is unlike any story I have ever read. “One should not be told their fate… destiny works best when unforeseen.” However, I shall defy destiny in this instance and tell you that your fate will (or should) include reading this book when it is released on February 11, 2020.

I received an advanced ebook copy. All opinions are my own.
In this prequel to the Disney movie, we are introduced Mulan’s sister Xiu. When a poisonous nine-legged spider bites her sister, Mulan must gather all her courage and go on a quest to find the magical ingredients needed to save her. She must have Dragon Beard Grass that only grows on one island and a blossom of the Essence of Heavenly Majesty from a plant in the garden of the immortal Queen Mother. Without these ingredients, her sister will die and time is running out. Her companions on this quest are the Rabbit on the Moon and her horse, Black Wind. Demon slayer Lu Ting-Pin also joins them for part of the journey. As the story unfolds, we learn that the nine-legged spider is not just any spider but an evil demon shape-shifter named Daji. Daji also frequently takes the shape of a nine-tailed fox and of a beautiful wealthy woman to trick people. Years ago the Daji learned of a prophesy saying a daughter from Mulan’s house will save the emperor, but which daughter? Is it Mulan or her sister? Daji is convinced that it is Xiu, who is destined to save the emperor because she is so graceful and beautiful, not clumsy and bringing shame to her family all the time like Mulan. But, could it possibly be Mulan that will fulfill the prophesy? Daji throws attacks and tricks at Mulan every leg of the journey trying to make her fail. Grace Lin weaves Chinese legends, mythologies, and historical figures together to create this beautiful new action-packed story of Mulan. It is a delightful read.
Full disclosure: I am a huge Grace Lin fan. I have a history degree with a focus on Asian history. Grace Lin’s style that intertwines Asian tales and culture into retellings are “my jam”.

I would have been into this more if it weren't so jumpy. It also gave me a lot of Alice in Wonderland vibes and I'm just not feelin' it.

3.5 Although I did not like this as well as Where the Mountain Meets the Moon it is still written in classic Grace Lin style, with the frequent insertion of fables into the narrative that become an essential part of the on going story. The motive of the Silver Fox could have been better examined, particularly as everyone else's motive was thoroughly explored, and of course Mulan is going to continue to further adventures which she does not yet grasp, but on the whole a satisfying adventure.
2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge: advanced: A book from your TBR list you meant to read las year but didn't

Kirjassa kerrotaan Mulanin tarina ennen varsinaista tarinaa. Tässä annetaan avaimia siihen, kuinka Mulan löytää ratkaisun hetkellä rohkeuden sisältään lähteä sotaan isänsä puolesta.

Itseasiassa pidin tätä kirjaa mielenkiintoisempana tarinana kuin varsinaista Mulanin tarinaa Kiinan keisarin joukoissa. Kirja on alkusoittoa Disneyn uudelle Mulan live-action elokuvalle. Tässä annetaan kovat panokset ja odotukset tulevalle elokuvalle.

If you’re expecting a bland extension of Disney in this book, you’ll be incredibly surprised. This was my first time reading Grace Lin, but I see what all the fuss is over her now. Her lyrical prose is utterly beautiful, and she truly brought the character of Mulan to life. You don’t need to be familiar with the story of Mulan at all to enjoy this, but of course, there are little nods to the Disney version that serve to enrich the story. The book follows Mulan as she goes on a quest to save her sister from a deadly magical spider bite (see the tie-in there to Mulan’s sister’s fear of spiders?). She is joined by a healer, who actually turns out to be the famous Jade Rabbit of Chinese lore. The folklore is woven into the story as Mulan journeys through mythological lands to find the spider bite cure. When she learns about the prophesy that a member of the Hua family will one day save the Emperor, she is sure it is her sister, who has always met their parents’ expectations for what a girl of honor should be. Through her journey, Mulan learns that she might be able to bring honor to her family in other ways. Like I said, the book is perfect for fans of Mulan (I watched the live-action movie shortly after reading this, and loved it that much more because of the tie-in to this prequel), but it’s also wonderfully accessible to all fantasy readers!

Grace Lin's stories are always full of magic and young heroes - the kind of stories I adored as a child, and love still. In Mulan: Before the Sword, she gives our heroine a fleshed-out character and story , so much more than a cartoon movie ever could (and I love the Mulan movie)! NOTE: This is not a retelling of the popular movie, but an original prequel. As young Mulan journeys to find the cure that will save her younger sister, the stories she hears along the way add to her understanding of the world around her as well as who she truly is inside. With the periodic switches to the point of view of the Red Fox, we learn the backstory of another character that will come to play in the live-action movie. Grace Lin is such a gifted storyteller that this book can easily stand on its own without any movie connections. Readers will love Mulan's humble, awkward, kind nature, as well as her persistence, ingenuity, and courage. And one cannot help but fall in love with Rabbit and Lu Ting-Pin. I look forward to sharing this book with young readers!

This was an epic adventure! I love seeing Mulan as a child and seeing the seeds that will blossom into the mighty warrior we know her as.

I also loved how traditional Chinese mythology and storytelling is weaved throughout and there's kind of a dual storyline happening (and actually more than two stories) that are interwoven and impact each other.

This is a Disney story, but is is a bit different from the Disney animated movie. In this story, Mulan has a little sister and no grandma lives with her family. From the previews of the live-action movie, I know she has a sister, so I think this is a prequel for that version.

This story is before the movie, It is Mulan before she saves the emperor. We read this book with our daughter, and she liked it a lot.

This is a story of Mulan as a child, long before the fabled tale of her saving the Emperor & empire. The word tomboy was not used but she was obviously not the typically gentle girl child everyone expected. She loves to kick balls with boys and she runs and barges into rooms, she has broken many things accidentally and exasperated her parents to no end. Yet she is loved & most particularly by her younger sister, Xiu, who is the typical gentle girl child beloved by all. They are as close as sisters can be. The beginning of this story, however, sees Xiu bitten by a spider and she fell into a coma. The ingredients needed for to cure her, however, are far away and they have less than a month to bring it back. Thus begins Mulan's adventure as she helps the Jade Rabbit to procure these ingredients.

I loved this story. I read it out loud to my boys and they enjoyed it just as much. I identified so much with Mulan -being told many times to be gentle all my life. I loved how the author incorporates other mythical / historical tales into this story and such beautiful descriptive prose! She did not stint on the language front either with many many-syllable words used throughout (yes, I did struggle a little as I was reading out loud). Mulan: Before the Sword is a magical adventure wherein one girl finds her weakness is truly her strength.

A prequel of sorts to Disney’s Mulan movies, both the animated one and the upcoming live-action release. In this book we find Mulan on a quest to heal her ailing sister. The sister has been poisoned in what we learn is a failed attempt to keep a prophesy from coming true.

Lin is a Newbery and Caldecott Honor-winning creator of children’s books, so you can count on high quality that transcends the novel’s movie tie-in origins. She draws from the Chinese myths and legends that she grew up with to create a fully realized world, with compelling characters. In an author’s note, Lin describes the folklore she grew up with, and how seeing a Disney Princess who looked like her inspired her to create books that center Asian characters and stories.

Some of the characters we meet along the way are pretty evil, but one character in particular shows us how childhood abuse and neglect can make us vulnerable to manipulation and hurtful behavior. Lin’s gift is that she shows us this: she doesn’t tell us in a preachy way.

Recommended for kids 10 and up.

At first I was thinking that it was going to be a bad book. Because I don't like the movie. But as the story unfolded I found out that it was wonderful! I am a very big fan of Grace Lin but this tops it off! This charming story brings a space between movies and books, I could not have a better read then this! Mulan has to go on a adventure to find the Essence of Heavenly Majesty. As she goes through challenge after challenge she is stalked by The White Wolf.

She meets Rabbit and Lu-Ling-pin they fight monsters and demons to get to the magic garden to find the flower that will save her sister and Rabbit. The story is a double adventure. You also get to know what that White Wolf is doing!

This was a fun read and I enjoyed the prequel story. It was fill of adventure and new characters and villians. It is set before the new live action Mulan movie not the original Disney animated film so there is a bit of foundational plot difference. The plot is focused around Mulan's sister and Mulan's quest to save her. There are a number of interesting tales from new characters she meetes along her journey too. It's very well written and a nice story for younger readers. Overall I give it 4 stars.

Thank you Scholastic Australia for this copy in exchange for my honest and independent review.

What an adventure that was! I love this book so much, I thought I’d be biased only because it’s a Mulan retelling and I absolutely adore Mulan, has always been my role model and still is. But wow this book was so incredible, with lots of Chinese mythology tales as well! A favorite book gifted by a favorite person❤️

wow, i really enjoyed reading this book. i've only been exposed to the starry river of the sky, where the mountain meets the moon, and when the sea turned to silver book series in terms of grace lin. so, this was very different, and i enjoyed it thoroughly. the stories were all new, yet all connected to previous books. very good storytelling, definitely recommend!

I love the beautiful storytelling of Grace Lin. I also love that she weaves the mini folktales into the normal chapters. Her use of descriptive writing helps me visualize the story in my mind. Great book that I would recommend to Mulan fans everywhere!

good having a "clutzy" female hero who "feels the fear" but does something ANYWAY.
liked the "tales" interwoven in the story

Fun and interesting story about Mulan and how it leads into the 2020 movie adaptation. Grace Lin did a great job with this story!!

Surprising. Grace Lin is one of my favorite authors, but this didn't work for me. The plot raced out from page one with choppy character development interspersed throughout. I wonder how much say Disney had in the manuscript?

Lin weaves feminism and Chinese mythology into a riveting middle grade fantasy!

Action, adventure and stories within a story. I couldn’t put it down.

Rory and I finished reading this very long book over the course of last month. (She was also reading another long book with her dad.). Rory loved it! She said, "This book inspires me to write my own fantasy novel." I thought it dragged a lot, but Rory was gripped by the shape shifting Daji and Rabbit. I love Grace Lin's realistic fiction, but this was not my favorite. Though it is cool to learn the origin story of Mulan's strength.

4.5

***this review contains spoilers***

I honestly had no idea how Grace Lin was going to make this book "an original tale" as the cover puts it. I mean, how can you make an original tale from a story already so well known? But she managed so well, it is crazy.
Other from the characters from the live-action Mulan movie (Mulan, her parents, and her sister Xiu), almost nothing in the storyline was copied or mimicked.

Mulan's sister, Xiu, is bitten by a nine-legged white spider, which we find out later is the white fox.
A healer comes to help Xiu, when time suddenly stops in Mulan's village, and everyone is frozen except Mulan and the healer.
Mulan is confused, and even more so when the healer turns into a white rabbit. But as Mulan is following it as it hops away, the rabbit is attacked by the white fox, named Daji, and the red fox, who is forced to work with Daji. Mulan saves the rabbit/healer, but not before the rabbit is poisoned by the White Fox's bite, the same poison that Xiu was innfected with.
Mulan learns that the rabbit is actually the Jade Rabbit, and he is an immortal. Together, Mulan and the rabbit go on a journey to find the cure to save Xiu and the Rabbit. Along the way, they face many obsticals (put in place by the White Fox), and encounter other immortals.
But they only have until the next full moon to save both the rabbit and Mulan's sister.

I really enjoyed this story, and I woyld gladly read it again. One thing I loved about this book, which is the same thing that I love about some of Grace Lin's other books ("When the Sea Turned to Silver" for instance), is that there are other small short stories in the middle throughout it. They add to the story's development quite a bit, and really help the book flow well. I highly recommend this book. :)