Napoli, Donna Jo (2004). Bound. NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 186 pages.
Xing-Xing is the young heroine of this retelling of the old Chinese folktale that Cinderella, more familiar to Wester readers, was based on. In this version of the story she is treated as a servant by her stepmother and half-sister, but continues to live her life by demonstrating the three virtues of painting, poetry, and calligraphy.
This novel is a beautiful and intriguing retelling of an old, old story, fleshed out with historical and atmospheric details of ancient China. The plot meanders its way to a rather sudden conclusion, but the book is really more concerned with the characters – and with social issues that have possibly more current than historical importance.
The title, Bound, is taken from the practice of foot binding, wherein Chinese women would bind their feet, inhibiting their growth (and use) in order to make them smaller and more attractive. Not dissimilar to our current practice of wearing high heels. While Xing-Xing has naturally small feet, her half-sister needs to have hers bound in order to attract a husband, and the painful and sometimes overly gory process is described in full. This foot binding is reflective of the metaphorical bondage of Chinese women in the time period, and Xing-Xing has to face existing within a social system that she cannot tolerate, which makes for an interesting internal conflict. Unfortunately, the resolution of the conflict happens about two pages from the end, and the reader really needs a basic understanding of Chinese history to fully appreciate it (this is hinted at in the author’s afterword, but is not actually explained).
Also, in what I’m assuming is an homage to the Grimm’s version of Cinderella (mutilation in the name of beauty!), the story treads a little heavily past the boundaries of cultural sensitivity in its reverse-exoticism regarding the foot binding. A large portion of the book is devoted to making this practice seem alien and barbaric, which can be (or rather, I’ve been informed, is) offensive to people of Asian, particularly Chinese, extraction. The overbearing obsession with foot binding also somewhat weakens the plot, as after all, the heroine does not experience it directly.
Booktalk Hook: Do you like the darker, grittier, Grimm’s version of fairy tales? Bound is a no-holds barred retelling of a Chinese folktale that is bound (haha!) to please.
If you liked this book: Why not play Kingdom Heart’s II, and help Mulan, another plucky Chinese girl-power hero, save the day? This game is the best thing Disney’s had its name on in a long time.
