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A review by yourbookishbff
The Magnolia Sword by Sherry Thomas
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this Mulan retelling. It is perfectly suited for a young adult audience, centering our female main character on her journey to self-discovery and self-confidence while she and our cast of characters unravel treasonous plots, examine and unpack their own racial and ethnic biases, and save each other's lives (multiple times). I love Sherry Thomas's historical romances and mysteries, and I was delighted to see her attention to political nuance and interpersonal relationships so beautifully woven into this retelling. I read this immediately after finishing her Heart of Blade duology, which also features wuxia elements and chi-based magic, and I loved seeing her bring that same martial arts framework to this story.
There is a light romantic plotline that is, again, very suited to the ages of the main characters (Mulan is 19) and young adult readers. I also have to note how refreshing it is to see gender identity and sexual orientation discussed so frankly in Mulan's story. The relationships among our main cast of characters are shaped by Thomas's clear historical understanding of cultural tolerance (acceptance would be a stretch) for gay and bi men during this time. It is clear that among our primary cast of characters, Mulan's perceived identity as a man is not a barrier to a romantic relationship with the princeling, and there are several other male-male romances depicted affirmatively on page. For those who love queer friendships and found family, our core characters' interactions provide a really sweet backdrop to the war story. The ending wraps up neatly, but in a satisfying way that didn't feel overly simplified to me. I would highly recommend this to young adult fantasy readers, lovers of retellings, and historical fiction readers.
There is a light romantic plotline that is, again, very suited to the ages of the main characters (Mulan is 19) and young adult readers. I also have to note how refreshing it is to see gender identity and sexual orientation discussed so frankly in Mulan's story. The relationships among our main cast of characters are shaped by Thomas's clear historical understanding of cultural tolerance (acceptance would be a stretch) for gay and bi men during this time. It is clear that among our primary cast of characters, Mulan's perceived identity as a man is not a barrier to a romantic relationship with the princeling, and there are several other male-male romances depicted affirmatively on page. For those who love queer friendships and found family, our core characters' interactions provide a really sweet backdrop to the war story. The ending wraps up neatly, but in a satisfying way that didn't feel overly simplified to me. I would highly recommend this to young adult fantasy readers, lovers of retellings, and historical fiction readers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Grief and Death of parent