Lim, Celeste. The Crystal Ribbon. Scholastic Press 2017
338p $17.99 ISBN 978-0-545-76703-3 ms Fantasy, Historical Fiction VG-BN
Set in medieval China in the time of the Song Dynasty,
the novel tells the magical story of Jing, the eleven-year-old daughter of a
Chinese farmer. After a hard winter with
many economic setbacks, she is sold to a rich family to be the bride of their
three-year-old son. She is the nursemaid
to the boy and treated like a slave. As
Jing suffers much punishment and dishonor, she tries to run away. She is captured and her in-laws sell her
once again. This time it is to a
chinglou, a Chinese brothel. Jing is
surprised to find that the concubines are treated well, educated in the fine
arts and politics, and intended to be a man’s companion in more than one
way. When Jing decides that she cannot
become a concubine, she runs again. This
time she is helped by one of China’s most important concubines and succeeds in
her quest to begin her long journey home.
Woven throughout the story are elements of Chinese magical and religious
beliefs that help Jing cope with her life.
The different magical characters that appear are able to help Jing free
a village from a soul-eating tree and sustain her throughout her journey to a
happy conclusion.
This is engaging, suspenseful, well-written historical
fiction with the Chinese words explained in context. The excellent characterizations and a
well-paced plot add much to the story and it is sure to appeal to young
readers.
Summary: Set in medieval China in the time of the Song
Dynasty, the novel tells the magical story of Jing, the eleven-year-old
daughter of a Chinese farmer. This is engaging, suspenseful, well-written
historical fiction with the Chinese words explained in context. The excellent characterizations and a
well-paced plot add much to the story and it is sure to appeal to young
readers.
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