Book Review: Feather and Flame
In the book, Feather and Flame, by Livia Blackburne, we have a chance to reconnect with Mulan and see what she has been doing since the end of her story. This book is the second in Disney’s Queen Council series. This series focuses on some of our favorite princesses and what happens after their happily ever after. Each book in the series focuses on a different character and is written by a different author.
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The book begins with Mulan running her own all-women milita and keeping up with her training. An unexpected visitor arrives to see Mulan and is none other than Li Shang. Li Shang comes with a message that the Emperor has asked to see Mulan. Once Mulan arrives at the Imperial City, her whole world is flipped upside down. The Emperor declares Mulan the heir to the throne, and before Mulan can politely decline, the Emperor falls ill.
Mulan has to now learn to navigate a role, she didn’t think she would want, but she’s not alone. Luckily, the Queen Council steps in to help guide her along this new journey. Just who is the Queen’s Council? The Queen’s Council is a group of spirits that help young rulers coming into power uncover their destiny.
I enjoyed reading Feather and Flame and learning what both Mulan and Li Shang have been up to since the movie Mulan. I loved the romance between the two of them and made for some enjoyable scenes. This definitely was my favorite part of the book! Also, the idea of the Queen’s Council being there to help guide Mulan through this transition to Empress was a unique idea.
In addition, it was interesting to learn some about Chinese culture through the eyes of Mulan, while learning the ins and outs of being the Emperor. For example, Mulan learns to deal with some political issues that come along with being emperor, like the Huns possibly returning to China. Before reading the book, I wasn’t really sure how much I would enjoy the political part of the story. After reading, I really felt it helped show and develop Mulan’s character. One thing I would like to note is that Feather and Flame is not historically accurate and takes a lot of liberties with Chinese history. This story isn’t as much a continuation of the historical character of Mulan, but a fiction story of the Disney character.
Overall, if you are looking for a fun read to learn about what might have happened to Mulan after her adventures in the movie, this is a book for you. Happy reading!
Other Book Reviews:
- Disney Book Review: The North Line Shows the Dangers of the Bering Sea
- Disney Books Review: Go the Distance A Twisted Tale
- Disney Book Review: Okoye To The People
