What do you think?
Rate this book
Unbound
John Shors reimagined one of the world’s greatest love stories—the romance that inspired the Taj Mahal—in his critically acclaimed, international bestseller Beneath a Marble Sky. Now, with Unbound, Shors recreates an ancient and celebrated Chinese legend about a pair of young lovers separated by war and the Great Wall.
The year is 1548, and the Chinese Empire faces an imminent Mongol invasion. All that prevents the violent end of a dynasty is the Great Wall. Yet even this famed fortification has weaknesses, and against his will, a talented Chinese craftsman is taken from his home and wife, so that he may labor alongside the wall’s defenders.
Fan has been missing for a year when his wife, Meng, decides to do the impossible—to leave everyone and everything she knows in a daunting effort to find him. At a time when many women fear even stepping outside their homes, Meng disguises herself as a man and begins a perilous journey of deliverance.
As two armies gather at the Great Wall, the fates of Fan and Meng collide with a Mongol horseman seeking redemption, a Chinese concubine fighting injustice, and a ruthless general determined to destroy them all.
The year is 1548, and the Chinese Empire faces an imminent Mongol invasion. All that prevents the violent end of a dynasty is the Great Wall. Yet even this famed fortification has weaknesses, and against his will, a talented Chinese craftsman is taken from his home and wife, so that he may labor alongside the wall’s defenders.
Fan has been missing for a year when his wife, Meng, decides to do the impossible—to leave everyone and everything she knows in a daunting effort to find him. At a time when many women fear even stepping outside their homes, Meng disguises herself as a man and begins a perilous journey of deliverance.
As two armies gather at the Great Wall, the fates of Fan and Meng collide with a Mongol horseman seeking redemption, a Chinese concubine fighting injustice, and a ruthless general determined to destroy them all.
443 pages, Paperback
First published August 18, 2017
305 people are currently reading
1457 people want to read
About the author
John Shors
15 books646 followersHi, everyone. I hope this message finds people well.
I'm the bestselling author of The Demon Seekers trilogy, My Midnight Sun, Unbound, Beneath a Marble Sky, Temple of a Thousand Faces, Cross Currents, Beside a Burning Sea, Dragon House, and The Wishing Trees. My novels have won multiple awards and have been translated into twenty six languages. I have also spoken (via speakerphone) with more than 3,000 book clubs around the world.
For more information on my work, please visit www.johnshors.com or friend me on Facebook or Instagram.
Thank you for your support!
- John
I'm the bestselling author of The Demon Seekers trilogy, My Midnight Sun, Unbound, Beneath a Marble Sky, Temple of a Thousand Faces, Cross Currents, Beside a Burning Sea, Dragon House, and The Wishing Trees. My novels have won multiple awards and have been translated into twenty six languages. I have also spoken (via speakerphone) with more than 3,000 book clubs around the world.
For more information on my work, please visit www.johnshors.com or friend me on Facebook or Instagram.
Thank you for your support!
- John
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
September 17, 2017
Full disclosure: I'm the author! :) But here is what others are saying:
“Unbound is utterly captivating—an epic, historical page-turner with a beating heart. I loved it.” — Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
“In Unbound, John Shors draws us inside the impassioned history of China’s Great Wall, through richly intertwined characters determined to live freely, and for love. A haunting tale of the enduring bonds that anchor and save us when all the other chains—poverty, enslavement, cruelty, degradation—have been broken. A gem of storytelling.” — Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife
"An elegant and compelling epic told with Shors’ trademark understanding of human nature and ability to create characters who touch our hearts. The setting – China's Great Wall – is as much a personality in the tale as the husband and wife who live, and love, in its shadow. In Unbound, history comes alive and literally takes your breath away and breaks your heart at the same time." — M.J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author of The Library of Light and Shadow
“Unbound is utterly captivating—an epic, historical page-turner with a beating heart. I loved it.” — Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
“In Unbound, John Shors draws us inside the impassioned history of China’s Great Wall, through richly intertwined characters determined to live freely, and for love. A haunting tale of the enduring bonds that anchor and save us when all the other chains—poverty, enslavement, cruelty, degradation—have been broken. A gem of storytelling.” — Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife
"An elegant and compelling epic told with Shors’ trademark understanding of human nature and ability to create characters who touch our hearts. The setting – China's Great Wall – is as much a personality in the tale as the husband and wife who live, and love, in its shadow. In Unbound, history comes alive and literally takes your breath away and breaks your heart at the same time." — M.J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author of The Library of Light and Shadow
October 9, 2017
John Shors is one of my favorite authors. I was hooked on him after I read his first novel, Beneath a Marble Sky. That book told the amazing love story behind the creation of the Taj Mahal. In his new novel, Unbound, he takes a similar approach, and retells a famous Chinese love story, and sets most of his novel on the Great Wall. This is really a wonderful read, and is a good example of how and why historical fiction can sweep me up like no other genre. Plus I learned some things. A great book.
December 21, 2017
Meng was just a lone woman. She had been born with a voice but told by society not to use it, born with eyes but told not to see. Yet her feet and resolve were unbound. And she would travel onward, coming to better know the world that she was a part of, the steps she needed to take to consider herself free.
Seventh of John Shors’ Asian-set novels, Unbound reimagines a legend well-known in China but perhaps less familiar to Western audiences: that of a young wife determined to reunite with her beloved husband, who was pressed into service constructing the Great Wall.
This version of the tale unfolds during the Ming Dynasty, in the mid-16th century. A year after her husband Fan’s departure, his wife Meng, missing him desperately and concerned about his well-being during the harsh winter atop the wall, crafts a warm coat and sets out on foot from Beijing, in male disguise, to bring it to him. Meanwhile, Fan, a talented craftsman responsible for maintaining the Great Wall’s structural integrity over the six miles between Jinshanling and Simatai, struggles to do his task amid increasingly poor health, regular Mongol attacks, and his cruel commander’s jealous rages and threats.
Meng and Fan’s love never wavers throughout the course of this clearly and straightforwardly written novel. Other subplots soon take prominence, though, such as Meng’s friendship with a man she meets en route (their teasing banter is lively and fun) and Fan’s protectiveness toward Bataar, a twelve-year-old enslaved Mongol boy. The question also arises about whether Bataar’s father will find and rescue him. There are no givens about how any of these situations will play out.
Descriptions abound of the Great Wall’s impressive architecture, with its many crenellations and watchtowers spanning the rugged terrain (“like a dragon sprawled across the mountains”) as well as the strategy behind its design. At times the educational purpose slows down the plot—considerable time is spent explaining how the Wall is built, and the information on how a sedan chair operates feels overlong—but anyone interested in Chinese history should find the material fascinating.
Although the lovers are Chinese, this isn’t a one-sided presentation. The Mongols are fierce fighters, proud of their culture and bounteous grasslands, who want to trade with their resistant southern neighbor. In contrast, the Chinese emperor (who is never seen, only talked about) comes off as rigid and xenophobic. The novel examines the various power differentials of the day: between men and women, the Chinese and Mongols, and the different classes in Chinese society. On her journey, Meng observes how regulations on dress and other customs are selectively relaxed the further one gets from Beijing: a nice touch.
A more thorough copy edit would have caught the occasional typos and misspellings. [Update, 12/21/17: these have been fixed in the latest version of the novel.] For anyone curious about the Great Wall or the lives of average people during part of its construction, Unbound is definitely recommended.
First reviewed at Reading the Past.
Seventh of John Shors’ Asian-set novels, Unbound reimagines a legend well-known in China but perhaps less familiar to Western audiences: that of a young wife determined to reunite with her beloved husband, who was pressed into service constructing the Great Wall.
This version of the tale unfolds during the Ming Dynasty, in the mid-16th century. A year after her husband Fan’s departure, his wife Meng, missing him desperately and concerned about his well-being during the harsh winter atop the wall, crafts a warm coat and sets out on foot from Beijing, in male disguise, to bring it to him. Meanwhile, Fan, a talented craftsman responsible for maintaining the Great Wall’s structural integrity over the six miles between Jinshanling and Simatai, struggles to do his task amid increasingly poor health, regular Mongol attacks, and his cruel commander’s jealous rages and threats.
Meng and Fan’s love never wavers throughout the course of this clearly and straightforwardly written novel. Other subplots soon take prominence, though, such as Meng’s friendship with a man she meets en route (their teasing banter is lively and fun) and Fan’s protectiveness toward Bataar, a twelve-year-old enslaved Mongol boy. The question also arises about whether Bataar’s father will find and rescue him. There are no givens about how any of these situations will play out.
Descriptions abound of the Great Wall’s impressive architecture, with its many crenellations and watchtowers spanning the rugged terrain (“like a dragon sprawled across the mountains”) as well as the strategy behind its design. At times the educational purpose slows down the plot—considerable time is spent explaining how the Wall is built, and the information on how a sedan chair operates feels overlong—but anyone interested in Chinese history should find the material fascinating.
Although the lovers are Chinese, this isn’t a one-sided presentation. The Mongols are fierce fighters, proud of their culture and bounteous grasslands, who want to trade with their resistant southern neighbor. In contrast, the Chinese emperor (who is never seen, only talked about) comes off as rigid and xenophobic. The novel examines the various power differentials of the day: between men and women, the Chinese and Mongols, and the different classes in Chinese society. On her journey, Meng observes how regulations on dress and other customs are selectively relaxed the further one gets from Beijing: a nice touch.
A more thorough copy edit would have caught the occasional typos and misspellings. [Update, 12/21/17: these have been fixed in the latest version of the novel.] For anyone curious about the Great Wall or the lives of average people during part of its construction, Unbound is definitely recommended.
First reviewed at Reading the Past.
August 23, 2017
I've read several novels by John Shors, and really enjoy his work. He hasn't come out with a new book in a few years, and I've been eagerly awaiting the release of his Great Wall novel. I'm happy to say that the wait was well worth it. Unbound is a wonderful story that benefits from memorable characters and a fast-moving plot. I haven't been to the Great Wall of China, but it came alive within this novel, and I could visualize each scene. This is a beautiful story, and I wish that I hadn't just finished it!
September 27, 2020
I LOVED this book! I learned so much about what it was like to live in China in the 1500's. It's about a women whose husband goes to the Great Wall to work on it in order to earn money and keep them from starvation. He is forced to stay on the wall for longer than was planned by an evil commander, and his wife walks to the wall disguised as a man to find him. So many interesting characters. Loved it!
May 18, 2018
All around fantastic book. Really great characters, fantastic plot development. I learned a ton from the Great Wall setting. I felt like the ending was rushed but a great book that I carried with me so I could sneak in just one more page.
May 21, 2018
Between 3 and 4 stars. Definitely "liked it" but not sure whether it fully earns the "really" modifier.
The blurb calls it a telling of "one of the world's greatest love stories," but that's too narrow. It's the story of a number of love stories - not just the love between husband and wife, but between father and son, between friends, and between a mentor/adoptive father and his ward. Each of these is honored here, plus a foil is provided that has none of them and is a bitter, angry man as a result.
The blurb calls it a telling of "one of the world's greatest love stories," but that's too narrow. It's the story of a number of love stories - not just the love between husband and wife, but between father and son, between friends, and between a mentor/adoptive father and his ward. Each of these is honored here, plus a foil is provided that has none of them and is a bitter, angry man as a result.
June 1, 2018
It had an ending....
Great story I couldn't put it down. So sorry to see (read) there was an ending. Enjoyed the other characters you were there Fan and Ming Go!
Great story I couldn't put it down. So sorry to see (read) there was an ending. Enjoyed the other characters you were there Fan and Ming Go!
August 21, 2017
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Lao Tzu
Colorado author John Shors has the gift. It is as simple as that. In BENEATH A MARBLE SKY he created a stunning love story woven through the interstices of the 16th century Hindustani building of the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the world, a place on earth where Paradise touches mortals in a magnificent mausoleum for the beloved wife of the Emperor. Not only it this a symphonic novel of surpassing craftsmanship and beauty, it is also a book that informs the reader about the differences between Muslim and Hindu religions, about the Persian Empire, about customs of caste, of worldviews, of architecture, and of the myriad flavors of a land too few of us understand. He continued this quality of writing in BESIDE A BURNING SEA, DRAGON HOUSE, THE WISHING TREES, CROSS CURRENTS, TEMPLE OF A THOUSAND FACES and now with UNBOUND.
John has secured his place among popular American novelists of the decade with this his seventh novel that combines a growing respect of the beauties of the globe and the intricacies of the manner in which characters seemingly misplaced in locales seek to find themselves only to discover that their place in the confusion of the world is close at hand, partially shaded by nature’s vagaries.
With UNBOUND John invites us to China in the year 1548 and while his prose visually creates the Great Wall of China, his story is once again about love and commitment and resolution that will tie husband and wife together despite the separation of the Mongol invasion threat that separates them. An aspect of John’s passion for history, romance and communication of his thoughts is evident in his pausing to offer an Author’s Note at book’s inception: ‘The Great Wall of China is one of the most awe-inspiring creations of humanity. But why was the legendary fortification built? And who built it? Modern scholars tell us that the Great Wall is not actually a single wall, but a collection of ramparts that were raised over a two-thousand-year period. Running from east to west near the northern border of China, the Great Wall was created to protect the Chinese from nomadic tribes, mainly the Mongols and Manchus. Early sections of the Great Wall were little more than barricades of branches, dirt, and rocks. As the centuries passed, the skills of the builders improved, and by the time of the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), the Great Wall was constructed more as an endless series of small, connected castles than a featureless barrier. Several million Chinese died building the Great Wall. Some of them were criminals. Others were soldiers. Many were pressured into work through laws designed to reward hard labor with tax exemptions. Everyone toiled under dangerous and often besieged conditions, creating an unrivaled fortification that, if its parts were added together, would stretch for more than five thousand miles. Once I chose to write a novel about the Great Wall, I was faced with a variety of options in terms of time and setting. I decided to place my story toward the end of the Ming Dynasty. At this time, China had about 150 million people, yet was vulnerable to Mongol attacks. Fierce, mobile, and unrivaled horsemen, the Mongols had struck fear into the hearts of the Chinese for generations. Rather than send armies north to meet and likely be defeated by their foe, the Ming leaders decided to reinforce and expand the Great Wall—a strategy that would become arguably the most ambitious building project in history. UNBOUND is loosely fashioned after the famous Chinese legend of a husband and wife who became swept up in the undercurrents of the Great Wall’s creation. At the time that Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was captivating audiences in the West, within China the story of Fan and Meng was being told with equal reverence. The tale of their epic struggle has been since shared from generation to generation, enduring the passage of time with as much resiliency and grace as the stones upon which they are said to have suffered. So it is the setting, not the characters, in this novel that is based on historical fact.’
There are many reasons to select books to read. Selecting UNBOUND celebrates our intellect, our passion, our need for knowledge of the past, and our luxuriating in brilliant prose. Highly recommended on every level.
Colorado author John Shors has the gift. It is as simple as that. In BENEATH A MARBLE SKY he created a stunning love story woven through the interstices of the 16th century Hindustani building of the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the world, a place on earth where Paradise touches mortals in a magnificent mausoleum for the beloved wife of the Emperor. Not only it this a symphonic novel of surpassing craftsmanship and beauty, it is also a book that informs the reader about the differences between Muslim and Hindu religions, about the Persian Empire, about customs of caste, of worldviews, of architecture, and of the myriad flavors of a land too few of us understand. He continued this quality of writing in BESIDE A BURNING SEA, DRAGON HOUSE, THE WISHING TREES, CROSS CURRENTS, TEMPLE OF A THOUSAND FACES and now with UNBOUND.
John has secured his place among popular American novelists of the decade with this his seventh novel that combines a growing respect of the beauties of the globe and the intricacies of the manner in which characters seemingly misplaced in locales seek to find themselves only to discover that their place in the confusion of the world is close at hand, partially shaded by nature’s vagaries.
With UNBOUND John invites us to China in the year 1548 and while his prose visually creates the Great Wall of China, his story is once again about love and commitment and resolution that will tie husband and wife together despite the separation of the Mongol invasion threat that separates them. An aspect of John’s passion for history, romance and communication of his thoughts is evident in his pausing to offer an Author’s Note at book’s inception: ‘The Great Wall of China is one of the most awe-inspiring creations of humanity. But why was the legendary fortification built? And who built it? Modern scholars tell us that the Great Wall is not actually a single wall, but a collection of ramparts that were raised over a two-thousand-year period. Running from east to west near the northern border of China, the Great Wall was created to protect the Chinese from nomadic tribes, mainly the Mongols and Manchus. Early sections of the Great Wall were little more than barricades of branches, dirt, and rocks. As the centuries passed, the skills of the builders improved, and by the time of the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), the Great Wall was constructed more as an endless series of small, connected castles than a featureless barrier. Several million Chinese died building the Great Wall. Some of them were criminals. Others were soldiers. Many were pressured into work through laws designed to reward hard labor with tax exemptions. Everyone toiled under dangerous and often besieged conditions, creating an unrivaled fortification that, if its parts were added together, would stretch for more than five thousand miles. Once I chose to write a novel about the Great Wall, I was faced with a variety of options in terms of time and setting. I decided to place my story toward the end of the Ming Dynasty. At this time, China had about 150 million people, yet was vulnerable to Mongol attacks. Fierce, mobile, and unrivaled horsemen, the Mongols had struck fear into the hearts of the Chinese for generations. Rather than send armies north to meet and likely be defeated by their foe, the Ming leaders decided to reinforce and expand the Great Wall—a strategy that would become arguably the most ambitious building project in history. UNBOUND is loosely fashioned after the famous Chinese legend of a husband and wife who became swept up in the undercurrents of the Great Wall’s creation. At the time that Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was captivating audiences in the West, within China the story of Fan and Meng was being told with equal reverence. The tale of their epic struggle has been since shared from generation to generation, enduring the passage of time with as much resiliency and grace as the stones upon which they are said to have suffered. So it is the setting, not the characters, in this novel that is based on historical fact.’
There are many reasons to select books to read. Selecting UNBOUND celebrates our intellect, our passion, our need for knowledge of the past, and our luxuriating in brilliant prose. Highly recommended on every level.
December 25, 2020
‘Maybe there’s a balance to life, to fate.’
1548, the Middle Kingdom of China is ruled by the Ming dynasty, who replaced the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty in 1368. The Mongols continue to threaten, and while the Great Wall provides protection, it needs constant maintenance.
In this novel, Mr Shors has recreated a version of the legendary Chinese love story of Meng Jingnu and her beloved Fan Xiliang. Fan leaves, for a period of three months, to work on the Great Wall. But he does not return, and after he is missing for twelve months, Meng sets off to find him. Meng has unbound feet, extremely unusual for any woman of rank during this period. It is only because of her unbound feet that Meng, disguised as a man, can consider undertaking this journey.
Meanwhile, at the Great Wall, Fan works alongside a young Mongol captive, Bataar. General Yat-Sen holds their lives in his hands.
The story shifts between Meng’s journey to the wall and Fan’s life on it. There are other stories as well: the concubine Yehonala, Bataar’s father Chuluun and Meng’s co traveller Ping.
Meng’s journey is eventful. Fan’s existence at the Great Wall is fraught with danger. Meng’s letters to him have been intercepted by Yat-Sen whose greed and jealousy lead him to destroy what he cannot possess.
And the ending? I finished the novel satisfied.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
1548, the Middle Kingdom of China is ruled by the Ming dynasty, who replaced the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty in 1368. The Mongols continue to threaten, and while the Great Wall provides protection, it needs constant maintenance.
In this novel, Mr Shors has recreated a version of the legendary Chinese love story of Meng Jingnu and her beloved Fan Xiliang. Fan leaves, for a period of three months, to work on the Great Wall. But he does not return, and after he is missing for twelve months, Meng sets off to find him. Meng has unbound feet, extremely unusual for any woman of rank during this period. It is only because of her unbound feet that Meng, disguised as a man, can consider undertaking this journey.
Meanwhile, at the Great Wall, Fan works alongside a young Mongol captive, Bataar. General Yat-Sen holds their lives in his hands.
The story shifts between Meng’s journey to the wall and Fan’s life on it. There are other stories as well: the concubine Yehonala, Bataar’s father Chuluun and Meng’s co traveller Ping.
Meng’s journey is eventful. Fan’s existence at the Great Wall is fraught with danger. Meng’s letters to him have been intercepted by Yat-Sen whose greed and jealousy lead him to destroy what he cannot possess.
And the ending? I finished the novel satisfied.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
September 20, 2017
I really enjoyed it.
I'm on something of a China kick. While like many such romance all ends well, I liked the peek into ancient china. I do feel like the author gave Meng a definitely modern outlook on life but it did go along with the story and the unbound feet and the general vibe of breaking tradition. All in all
A good
Read
I'm on something of a China kick. While like many such romance all ends well, I liked the peek into ancient china. I do feel like the author gave Meng a definitely modern outlook on life but it did go along with the story and the unbound feet and the general vibe of breaking tradition. All in all
A good
Read
March 12, 2018
John Shors did it again! Unbound transports one back to the Great Wall of China when the Chinese were defending their country from the Mongols. In his book, John Shors explores the idea of true love and dedication in a world where individuals are bound by servitude, gender, labels, and circumstance. Each character strives to become unbound in a world which is complicated and filled with cultural mores. Unbound was a fantastic read!
September 25, 2018
Recreated Chinese legend
A Chinese Legend about Ping and Meng who share a love separated by war and the Great Wall of China . Each develops a very unusual friendship with persons who are influential in helping them see what is most important in their lives
A Chinese Legend about Ping and Meng who share a love separated by war and the Great Wall of China . Each develops a very unusual friendship with persons who are influential in helping them see what is most important in their lives
July 20, 2018
After enjoying Shors' Beneath A Marble Sky, I was looking forward to a fictional history of The Great Wall. This one was disappointing. Fan is a mason, assigned to ensure the structural integrity of the wall as it is constantly bartered by Mongol attacks and natural stresses. His wife, Meng, sets out to find him, walking days/miles through traveler hazards to reach the wall. There is an evil general, a faithful slave, a remorseful Mongol father, and a bitter courtesan.
The characters are completely 2-dimensional and the plot predictable.
The characters are completely 2-dimensional and the plot predictable.
August 24, 2018
I really wanted to love this book, I have read all of John’s books. This story had a good story line, but it got bogged down with repetitive thoughts and feelings. I know Meng and Fan loved each other, but to read it every chapter was too much. And I had a hard time believing Chuluun could accomplish what he did in the end. I also grew tired of Chuluun’s guilt about his son.
I liked the relationship of Meng and Ping and the way they strengthened and challenged each other. I liked how Meng learned her worth and realized she could accomplish her goal. I liked Bataar and Fan’s relationship as well and enjoyed thinking how two cultures can appreciate and come to understand each other.
Yat-sen was also interesting, I think with a little editing the book would read easier.
I liked the relationship of Meng and Ping and the way they strengthened and challenged each other. I liked how Meng learned her worth and realized she could accomplish her goal. I liked Bataar and Fan’s relationship as well and enjoyed thinking how two cultures can appreciate and come to understand each other.
Yat-sen was also interesting, I think with a little editing the book would read easier.
December 20, 2018
This story started off pretty slow, but as the storylines started to emerge and the path to their convergence solidified, it got more interesting.
Yat-sen was the only character I didn't like, and I know that was on purpose. But everyone else was so good, or at least I could identify with their position. I have to say I enjoyed Ping's story the most, though. I loved his metamorphosis.
Overall, quite enjoyable with a quick pace at the end. I think I liked Beneath a Marble Sky better, though.
Yat-sen was the only character I didn't like, and I know that was on purpose. But everyone else was so good, or at least I could identify with their position. I have to say I enjoyed Ping's story the most, though. I loved his metamorphosis.
Overall, quite enjoyable with a quick pace at the end. I think I liked Beneath a Marble Sky better, though.
May 16, 2018
The Chinese/Mongolian Struggle for Dominance
Historically fascinating, bringing the rivalry between two cultures to life. I became immersed in both the characters and the diversity in cultures at that point in Asian history.
Historically fascinating, bringing the rivalry between two cultures to life. I became immersed in both the characters and the diversity in cultures at that point in Asian history.
May 12, 2018
Interesting love story
This was the story of a couple that are separated in China when the husband goes to work on the Great Wall. The Mongols are a constant threat to the Wall and the wife disguises herself as a man to try and take a coat to her husband to protect him from the winter. There are many obstacles trying to keep them apart. The setting is interesting and kept me reading.
This was the story of a couple that are separated in China when the husband goes to work on the Great Wall. The Mongols are a constant threat to the Wall and the wife disguises herself as a man to try and take a coat to her husband to protect him from the winter. There are many obstacles trying to keep them apart. The setting is interesting and kept me reading.
November 11, 2022
It was an intriguing look at daily life - especially for the poor, most especially for females - that wove the barbaric custom of foot binding on young girls for the sake of status during that period into it. It is a tale of sacrifice, both for the good of society as well as for your loved ones. Bad was bad, good was good, and what could be accomplished through the power of unselfish love was inspiring.
If you're interested in diving deeper into Asian Literature or are curious about how the honor/shame worldview applies to daily life within that culture, Unbound is a very engaging title to add to your TBRs.
If you're interested in diving deeper into Asian Literature or are curious about how the honor/shame worldview applies to daily life within that culture, Unbound is a very engaging title to add to your TBRs.
February 12, 2018
4.5 John Shors is one of the reasons I love historical fiction. He transports you with everyone of his books. I felt like I was at the Great Wall in 1549. The story hooked me and didn't let me go till the last page. Can't wait for the authors next book.
September 18, 2017
If you're a fan of historical fiction, and have any interest in the Great Wall of China, this is the book for you.
November 20, 2017
I love John Shors! I love everything he has written (I think I've read them all)!
October 16, 2020
This book was a mixed bag for me. It started a little slow but then pulled me into the story, making me excited to find out what happened to the characters. The writing, while sometimes a bit repetitive, is really accomplished and vivid. It engages all your senses to really put the reader in the scene. I gave this book one extra star for the quality of the world-building.
After reading for a while though, this book began bothering me intensely. It is a personal reading quirk of mine that I know doesn’t bother everyone. I can see why this book appeals to many women. It’s a page-turner, romantic, and contains interesting historical background information. If you want an escapist and romantic book that has an exotic locale and teaches you some history, this will do that. For me, though, this book doesn’t work. I could not take off my reality goggles and just go with the flow.
The female character, in particular, was not believable as a citizen of the Ming Dynasty. She’s a young 21st century feminist. Sure, she was raised by a scholarly father who taught her to read and write and “think like a son would have” but even Ming dynasty sons would not have the progressive views this young woman has. As she travels the countryside, she questions everything about the world she lives in and vows to rise above it. She had grown up without ever stepping into a street so her wholesale rejection of everything her society considers right, wrong, valuable, or proper seems improbable at best.
Then there are the (other) things that strain credulity: the heart-of-gold thief who helps Meng; writing materials available to even poor people; the astounding literacy rate among stonemasons, Mongol tribesmen, and common soldiers; villains that make Simon Legree look nuanced, and; heroes without faults. Plus, the neat and tidy resolution of the book felt ... pandering.
The biggest creeping pain for me though was the sense that this book is a poster child for cultural appropriation. It’s a Caucasian author’s explanation of Chinese culture. Frankly, the fact Meng rejects 100 percent of what her culture believes makes this extremely uncomfortable when you realize it’s a white guy that wrote her as the hero. As Meng (with her superior understanding of right and wrong) learns to disagree with everything her culture values, the reader is given permission to do the same. This book made me feel deeply uncomfortable I was a participant in cultural tourism filtered through a western point of view.
My recommendation is to skip this one or read it if you like a costumed romance book.
After reading for a while though, this book began bothering me intensely. It is a personal reading quirk of mine that I know doesn’t bother everyone. I can see why this book appeals to many women. It’s a page-turner, romantic, and contains interesting historical background information. If you want an escapist and romantic book that has an exotic locale and teaches you some history, this will do that. For me, though, this book doesn’t work. I could not take off my reality goggles and just go with the flow.
The female character, in particular, was not believable as a citizen of the Ming Dynasty. She’s a young 21st century feminist. Sure, she was raised by a scholarly father who taught her to read and write and “think like a son would have” but even Ming dynasty sons would not have the progressive views this young woman has. As she travels the countryside, she questions everything about the world she lives in and vows to rise above it. She had grown up without ever stepping into a street so her wholesale rejection of everything her society considers right, wrong, valuable, or proper seems improbable at best.
Then there are the (other) things that strain credulity: the heart-of-gold thief who helps Meng; writing materials available to even poor people; the astounding literacy rate among stonemasons, Mongol tribesmen, and common soldiers; villains that make Simon Legree look nuanced, and; heroes without faults. Plus, the neat and tidy resolution of the book felt ... pandering.
The biggest creeping pain for me though was the sense that this book is a poster child for cultural appropriation. It’s a Caucasian author’s explanation of Chinese culture. Frankly, the fact Meng rejects 100 percent of what her culture believes makes this extremely uncomfortable when you realize it’s a white guy that wrote her as the hero. As Meng (with her superior understanding of right and wrong) learns to disagree with everything her culture values, the reader is given permission to do the same. This book made me feel deeply uncomfortable I was a participant in cultural tourism filtered through a western point of view.
My recommendation is to skip this one or read it if you like a costumed romance book.
March 2, 2018
http://mariesbookgarden.blogspot.com/...
I've read nearly all of John Shors' novels, which are mostly based in Asia (one of my favorite locations).
My favorite, still, is his first one: Beneath a Marble Sky, about the building of the Taj Mahal. Part of why I loved it so was because Mike and I spent a couple of days in Agra visiting the Taj in 1989.
Unbound is about the building of the great wall, replete with a love story and depiction of how tough it was to be a woman in China during those times. The novel's name comes from the fact that the protagonist, Meng, did not have her feet bound (unusual during those times).
Meng's kind and storytelling husband Fan has been conscripted to help build the wall, but she stops hearing from him. Concerned about him, she decides to take an extremely risky trip to go see him. The story is about her adventure, combined with the horrible situation Fan was in, working for a psychopathic, sadistic leader.
Shors does an excellent job sensitively portraying women of color in history--not always easy for a white man! And I always love learning about history through novels like this.
I've read nearly all of John Shors' novels, which are mostly based in Asia (one of my favorite locations).
My favorite, still, is his first one: Beneath a Marble Sky, about the building of the Taj Mahal. Part of why I loved it so was because Mike and I spent a couple of days in Agra visiting the Taj in 1989.
Unbound is about the building of the great wall, replete with a love story and depiction of how tough it was to be a woman in China during those times. The novel's name comes from the fact that the protagonist, Meng, did not have her feet bound (unusual during those times).
Meng's kind and storytelling husband Fan has been conscripted to help build the wall, but she stops hearing from him. Concerned about him, she decides to take an extremely risky trip to go see him. The story is about her adventure, combined with the horrible situation Fan was in, working for a psychopathic, sadistic leader.
Shors does an excellent job sensitively portraying women of color in history--not always easy for a white man! And I always love learning about history through novels like this.
May 18, 2018
Interesting tale of China and the Great Wall toward the end of the Mongolian incursions. The main characters are Fan and Meng, a married couple. He, Fan, chooses to ply his trade as a craftsman of stone for a season to earn a specific tax exemption. However, his evil overseer, Yat-Sen, recognizes his talent and refuses to release Fan so that their section of the wall will remain sturdy and resilient. She, Meng, misses Fan and journeys on foot at a time when women were confined to homes.
While the story revolves around Fan and Meng, there are actually six narrators. The author takes the time to detail the evolving interiority of each of the narrators. This much time spent on plumbing the thoughts and dreams of each one at length leads the reader to skip sections of the text. Although mostly interesting and well-intentioned, this would be an example of the plot getting in the way of the story.
This tale would have been better as a short story.
While the story revolves around Fan and Meng, there are actually six narrators. The author takes the time to detail the evolving interiority of each of the narrators. This much time spent on plumbing the thoughts and dreams of each one at length leads the reader to skip sections of the text. Although mostly interesting and well-intentioned, this would be an example of the plot getting in the way of the story.
This tale would have been better as a short story.
September 3, 2018
I haven't read a John Shows book in several years and after reading Unbound, I am reminded of why he is one of my favorite authors. He is such a great storyteller. This is a wonderful love story set in ancient China. The Chinese empire is about to face an attack from the Mongols. The end of the Ming dynasty is nearing. The Great Wall of China is the setting for this epic battle. Fan, is a skilled craftsman and he is taken from his wife, Meng, to work on the wall. After being gone for a year, Meng decides to leave everything she knows and go find him. Women had very little freedom then so this is a huge journey for Meng. She must travel under the guise of a man. She finds a travel companion in an unlikely thief, Ping. At the same time, her husband is planning his own escape, after he helps a young Mongol slave also escape the wall. This is so beautifully written, lots of themes, and well flushed out characters. Shows definitely does his research.
May 8, 2018
I recommend this book to all readers.
I found this book to be entertaining and perplexing. The same could be said about the characters. This book is a good historical romance where the ending is happy. The author nearly branched out into some enticing subplots, but he let them die in the fast and furious wrapped up ending. Had some of that ferocity been spread throughout the book, I would have liked the read more. Do not get me wrong. I enjoyed reading the book. The author's writing mechanics were excellent. The author made me think about what was going on in the Mongol Nation and other countries during the time period in which the book was framed. When an author makes his readers think, he has done a good thing.
Thank you, Mr. Shors, for a good read.
I found this book to be entertaining and perplexing. The same could be said about the characters. This book is a good historical romance where the ending is happy. The author nearly branched out into some enticing subplots, but he let them die in the fast and furious wrapped up ending. Had some of that ferocity been spread throughout the book, I would have liked the read more. Do not get me wrong. I enjoyed reading the book. The author's writing mechanics were excellent. The author made me think about what was going on in the Mongol Nation and other countries during the time period in which the book was framed. When an author makes his readers think, he has done a good thing.
Thank you, Mr. Shors, for a good read.
May 16, 2018
Lessons from war
This is the story, written by John Shors, of several people who are influenced by the historical setting of the Great Wall of China. Each of the characters has a personal journey that is central to the story. This reader, a great appreciator of character development wonders at some of the growth. While personal psychological growth is possible, these characters come out of an age where social control is very embedded, and psychological growth may have been limited because of that. In some respects, it seems like growth that is more possible in this modern age. But that is selling these characters short, and this author certainly did not do that. Each character contributes—for better and for worse, in life and in death. An interesting read.
This is the story, written by John Shors, of several people who are influenced by the historical setting of the Great Wall of China. Each of the characters has a personal journey that is central to the story. This reader, a great appreciator of character development wonders at some of the growth. While personal psychological growth is possible, these characters come out of an age where social control is very embedded, and psychological growth may have been limited because of that. In some respects, it seems like growth that is more possible in this modern age. But that is selling these characters short, and this author certainly did not do that. Each character contributes—for better and for worse, in life and in death. An interesting read.
September 25, 2018
I’m still reading and find it entertaining, but it’s not sitting with me like other historical fiction often does - as if I’ve travelled to another place and time. The characters, their dialog, interaction and insights strike me as far too modern and western. I think the tone falls flat on what it really would have been like there and then, and I get the sense instead that some western and modern characters have traveled in time and these are their adventures. Kind of like Jack and Annie in the Magic Tree House kids books. But I love those books for what they are, and I enjoy in this one the time and place references as they relate to the Great Wall and the Mongols during that time period. For that, and the fact that I’m curious how it all turn out in the end, I’m enjoying it very much.
January 22, 2021
Good read
I was fortunate to have seen a small section but large tourist attraction of the Great Wall while visiting China. It was an interesting setting for this story. Very good character development which is a requirement for me to give any book a high rating. That compensated for the annoyance in the early part of the book of the author retelling events . It gave me the impression that it was written for a younger reader that might forget what they already read. The plot and characters were not that complicated. I thought perhaps it was a device to portray the characters as lower ranking. Either I got used to it or it ended as the story progressed. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Chinese history of the war with Moguls or romance,
I was fortunate to have seen a small section but large tourist attraction of the Great Wall while visiting China. It was an interesting setting for this story. Very good character development which is a requirement for me to give any book a high rating. That compensated for the annoyance in the early part of the book of the author retelling events . It gave me the impression that it was written for a younger reader that might forget what they already read. The plot and characters were not that complicated. I thought perhaps it was a device to portray the characters as lower ranking. Either I got used to it or it ended as the story progressed. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Chinese history of the war with Moguls or romance,
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews