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The Queen's Council #2
Feather & Flame
She brought honor on the battlefield. Now comes a new kind of war...
The war is over. Now a renowned hero, Mulan spends her days in her home village, training a militia of female warriors. The peace is a welcome one, and she knows it must be protected.
When Shang arrives with an invitation to the Imperial City, Mulan’s relatively peaceful life is upended once more. The aging emperor decrees that Mulan will be his heir to the throne. Such unimagined power and responsibility terrifies her, but who can say no to the Emperor?
As Mulan ascends into the halls of power, it becomes clear that not everyone is on her side. Her ministers undermine her, and the Huns sense a weakness in the throne. When hints of treachery appear even amongst those she considers friends, Mulan has no idea whom she can trust.
But the Queen’s Council helps Mulan uncover her true destiny. With renewed strength and the wisdom of those that came before her, Mulan will own her power, save her country, and prove once again that, crown or helmet, she was always meant to lead. This fierce reimagining of the girl who became a warrior blends fairy-tale lore and real history with a Disney twist.
The war is over. Now a renowned hero, Mulan spends her days in her home village, training a militia of female warriors. The peace is a welcome one, and she knows it must be protected.
When Shang arrives with an invitation to the Imperial City, Mulan’s relatively peaceful life is upended once more. The aging emperor decrees that Mulan will be his heir to the throne. Such unimagined power and responsibility terrifies her, but who can say no to the Emperor?
As Mulan ascends into the halls of power, it becomes clear that not everyone is on her side. Her ministers undermine her, and the Huns sense a weakness in the throne. When hints of treachery appear even amongst those she considers friends, Mulan has no idea whom she can trust.
But the Queen’s Council helps Mulan uncover her true destiny. With renewed strength and the wisdom of those that came before her, Mulan will own her power, save her country, and prove once again that, crown or helmet, she was always meant to lead. This fierce reimagining of the girl who became a warrior blends fairy-tale lore and real history with a Disney twist.
Paperback
First published June 14, 2022
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About the author
Livia Blackburne
25 books1,332 followersNew York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, she’s switched to full-time writing, which also involves getting into people’s heads but without the help of a 3 Tesla MRI scanner.
She is also the author of MIDNIGHT THIEF (an Indies Introduce New Voices selection), DAUGHTER OF DUSK, and ROSEMARKED (an Amazon best book of the month and YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee).
Visit her online at www.liviablackburne.com
She is also the author of MIDNIGHT THIEF (an Indies Introduce New Voices selection), DAUGHTER OF DUSK, and ROSEMARKED (an Amazon best book of the month and YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee).
Visit her online at www.liviablackburne.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
April 27, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Feather and Flame is the second installment in Disney's The Queen Council series.
If you are unaware, this series imagines what happened post-happily ever after for some of our favorite Disney Princesses. Each book is the story of a different heroine written by a different author.
This story follows Mulan after her victory on the battlefield at the end of the animated film.
As the story begins, Mulan is living a quiet life at home. Well, quiet if you consider training her own female militia quiet. But China is at peace and it is a good feeling.
When Shang arrives with an invitation to the Imperial City, Mulan has no idea that her entire life is about to be flipped on its head. Again.
Once there, Mulan is treated to a private counsel with the ailing Emperor. He tells her he has a plan for his succession and it is her. She will be named his heir to the throne.
Unfortunately, the transition occurs more quickly than Mulan would have preferred. She is terrified, but must do what she can to rule her country to the best of her abilities.
With enemies lurking around every corner and the Huns sensing weakness, will Mulan's reign be doomed from the start?
Mulan is filled with doubt and she's scared. She feels alone. What if she can't do this? There's so much at stake.
Luckily, the Queen's Council is there to help Mulan find her true destiny. What is the Queen's Council, you may be asking?
I don't want to give anything away, so let's just call it Mulan's Spirit Advisor. Not spiritual advisor, mind you, SPIRIT advisor.
I had a lot of fun reading this story. It was great to be back with Mulan and to get an extension of her story that I think was greatly needed.
I have always loved Mulan as a character. She has such a quiet grace about her. She is humble, strong and determined in the face of danger. I was so happy to see that she kept all of these wonderful characteristics throughout this story.
This is a highly political story, so for those of you who maybe don't enjoy a lot of political maneuverings in your stories, you have been forewarned.
For me, I love political fantasy, so this worked for me. I would have been happy with a bit more depth, but overall, I was quite pleased with this one!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Books. I look forward to getting the next installment of this series!
Feather and Flame is the second installment in Disney's The Queen Council series.
If you are unaware, this series imagines what happened post-happily ever after for some of our favorite Disney Princesses. Each book is the story of a different heroine written by a different author.
This story follows Mulan after her victory on the battlefield at the end of the animated film.
As the story begins, Mulan is living a quiet life at home. Well, quiet if you consider training her own female militia quiet. But China is at peace and it is a good feeling.
When Shang arrives with an invitation to the Imperial City, Mulan has no idea that her entire life is about to be flipped on its head. Again.
Once there, Mulan is treated to a private counsel with the ailing Emperor. He tells her he has a plan for his succession and it is her. She will be named his heir to the throne.
Unfortunately, the transition occurs more quickly than Mulan would have preferred. She is terrified, but must do what she can to rule her country to the best of her abilities.
With enemies lurking around every corner and the Huns sensing weakness, will Mulan's reign be doomed from the start?
Mulan is filled with doubt and she's scared. She feels alone. What if she can't do this? There's so much at stake.
Luckily, the Queen's Council is there to help Mulan find her true destiny. What is the Queen's Council, you may be asking?
I don't want to give anything away, so let's just call it Mulan's Spirit Advisor. Not spiritual advisor, mind you, SPIRIT advisor.
I had a lot of fun reading this story. It was great to be back with Mulan and to get an extension of her story that I think was greatly needed.
I have always loved Mulan as a character. She has such a quiet grace about her. She is humble, strong and determined in the face of danger. I was so happy to see that she kept all of these wonderful characteristics throughout this story.
This is a highly political story, so for those of you who maybe don't enjoy a lot of political maneuverings in your stories, you have been forewarned.
For me, I love political fantasy, so this worked for me. I would have been happy with a bit more depth, but overall, I was quite pleased with this one!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Books. I look forward to getting the next installment of this series!
October 28, 2021
I might be biased but I loved this book so much! Here's my official blurb: “Vivid and gripping, Feather and Flame richly blends Chinese history, folklore, and magic to tell the next chapter of Mulan’s epic story. With elegant prose and meticulous attention to detail, Blackburne weaves a tale of strength and sacrifice that will enchant readers.”
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February 14, 2021We have a cover!
April 29, 2025
I love how this one got more into the true story after what happens in Mulan. Love how it dives right back into the movie and true story of what goes on. The whole queen council concept was a new fresh way to give this whole series a great lens. Hope there is more in the future
July 29, 2021
DNF at 57%
The whole book feels like a joke. I get that it's supposed to be a sequel to the movie, and the movie is not 100% historically accurate either, but I feel like most of the stuff could be found with a little bit of research. When Mulan is crowned the empress, she is paraded down the street and gives a speech to the commoners. I'm pretty sure that's how western imperialism works. Commoners in ancient China weren't even allowed to look straight at the emperor when they meet him, let alone have a parade.
The plot also feels very forced. The emperor mentions that none of his three daughters could be his successors because they all married commoners, he doesn't want any of the ministers to become the emperor because they are power-hungry and the people don't like them. The reason he picked Mulan is that she is a hero and well-received by the people. I don't necessarily have a degree in Chinese history, but I have read and seen enough to know that no emperor would go through his entire reign without trying to produce an heir to his throne (produce as in also including teaching how to rule the country). It just seems way too absurd to me that the emperor literally has no one in mind before Mulan showed up to be his successor.
The book also seems to stress a lot of the strict "palace manners" Mulan and the others have to follow and then completely disregard it in other places.
Mulan also sometimes comes off as one of those quirky "I'm not like the other girls" characters.
Overall it was a really uncomfortable read for me as someone who is Chinese. I understand that this was not meant to be 100% historically accurate, but I still wish that the author did more research so that the mistakes weren't so blatant.
The whole book feels like a joke. I get that it's supposed to be a sequel to the movie, and the movie is not 100% historically accurate either, but I feel like most of the stuff could be found with a little bit of research. When Mulan is crowned the empress, she is paraded down the street and gives a speech to the commoners. I'm pretty sure that's how western imperialism works. Commoners in ancient China weren't even allowed to look straight at the emperor when they meet him, let alone have a parade.
The plot also feels very forced. The emperor mentions that none of his three daughters could be his successors because they all married commoners, he doesn't want any of the ministers to become the emperor because they are power-hungry and the people don't like them. The reason he picked Mulan is that she is a hero and well-received by the people. I don't necessarily have a degree in Chinese history, but I have read and seen enough to know that no emperor would go through his entire reign without trying to produce an heir to his throne (produce as in also including teaching how to rule the country). It just seems way too absurd to me that the emperor literally has no one in mind before Mulan showed up to be his successor.
The book also seems to stress a lot of the strict "palace manners" Mulan and the others have to follow and then completely disregard it in other places.
Mulan also sometimes comes off as one of those quirky "I'm not like the other girls" characters.
Overall it was a really uncomfortable read for me as someone who is Chinese. I understand that this was not meant to be 100% historically accurate, but I still wish that the author did more research so that the mistakes weren't so blatant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2021
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
TW: ghosts, kidnapping, sexism.
Yes, yes, YES.
This is how you write a Disney spin-off novel. I love Mulan and I absolutely loved the way the author handled her story and the what if's of the "Happily Ever After", especially considering Mulan got less of one than most.
(It also had Li Shang and he was perfectly in character, so HECK YES)
There was so much to love about this story! I went into it wary, because I wasn't the biggest fan of the previous installment in this series and because I love Mulan so much. However, I had nothing to be concerned about.
This was a celebration of femininity, loyalty, and the importance of believing in yourself. It held true to the messages of the beloved classic, while improving upon some of the lesser aspects and proving as a valuable story for readers of all ages.
Overall, while it wasn't perfect, it did make me happy almost the whole way through and that's a complete win in my book.
TW: ghosts, kidnapping, sexism.
Yes, yes, YES.
This is how you write a Disney spin-off novel. I love Mulan and I absolutely loved the way the author handled her story and the what if's of the "Happily Ever After", especially considering Mulan got less of one than most.
(It also had Li Shang and he was perfectly in character, so HECK YES)
There was so much to love about this story! I went into it wary, because I wasn't the biggest fan of the previous installment in this series and because I love Mulan so much. However, I had nothing to be concerned about.
This was a celebration of femininity, loyalty, and the importance of believing in yourself. It held true to the messages of the beloved classic, while improving upon some of the lesser aspects and proving as a valuable story for readers of all ages.
Overall, while it wasn't perfect, it did make me happy almost the whole way through and that's a complete win in my book.
November 11, 2024
I have Thoughts and Opinions on this one, lads. Some of them good, most of them not.
I admittedly went into this book not expecting much. My main reason for reading it at all was that it had that sweet, sweet Mulan/Shang content that I so yearn for—but that was basically all I was here for, and tried my best to remind myself of this as I read.
And yet this book still chafed.
The book's premise is shaky at best. In the years (I assume? It wasn't made clear, honestly.) since Mulan saved China, my girl's been busy. She commands an all female militia which apparently acts as a sort of defense/police-ish force for her area of the countryside. Maybe just her village. Hard to say, as the book opens with her and her militia on a mission to apprehend some slightly influential brigands who have been causing trouble, and she seemed to be doing the job for the local magistrate, which I assume would be in charge of more than just her village. Especially since he seemed slightly surprised when she succeeded in her endeavor.
I don't know, I just assume that if it was someone in her village, they would have had more faith in her.
Anyway, I digress (I will probably do that a lot). She's been busy, but one day Shang (!!!) shows up at her village in his fine soldier regalia (he's a general now. be still my heart.) to tell her that she must report to the Imperial City immediately, as the Emperor requires her presence.
Well, turns out that the Emperor is unwell, and he has decided to name her his heir. Apparently, his own daughters gave up their right to rule when they married commoners, and there is just no one else in his family with the qualifications to rule China.
Sure. Whatever.
And within days (??? I think it was days?? Maybe a few weeks??), the Emperor's health declines, and he dies before Mulan can give voice to her desire to renounce his decision to make her his heir. And so begins a lackluster foray into what could have been a fun book.
This was the foundation upon which our tale was set. Why on Earth would the Emperor name Mulan—a peasant with no royal blood or diplomatic training, and a WOMAN besides—his heir? It feels completely inauthentic and I hated it. I know that this anthology is called the Queen's Council, but I really think it would have been far more believable and fun had the Emperor called upon Mulan to be his personal guard, or an officer in his army. Hell! Make her a general! Armies have more than one general!!! And Shang was both a general and the Minister of War—she could have worked with him and still had influence along with the Emperor's ear. Hell!! Even make her the Minister of War! It would still make her a leader, and within the bounds of her expertise, in a far more believable fashion.
This book also had an insane amount of magic involved. Which like, fine, sure. The movie had Mushu and the ancestors and the guardians. But the movie was incredibly grounded in reality despite this. Mulan's merits were her own. She saved China due to her own martial prowess and tactical mind. Magic had nothing to do with it.
And yet this book had magical spirits intervene—her Queen's Council. Yes, they said The Thing—which were summoned from across time via magic portal. Warrior women and female leaders who came to a magical In-Between world to advise her on the matters of war and leadership.
It was awful, if I'm being honest. I'm sure these women all had historical significance in Chinese history (I cannot remember their names for all of the weight they carried in the narrative), but it severely detracted from Mulan's skills and her own abilities as a warrior and leader. Mulan cannot rally a defense on her own, we must summon the Queen's Council! Mulan cannot garner the respect of her people on her own, the Queen's Council's ghostly specters must arrive to wow her people and her court into respecting her.
It really left a bad taste in my mouth.
And to that effect! I understand that we were going for a Girl Power™ narrative here, so we surrounded Mulan with two-dimensional female characters in which she could trust and confide in—but in this endeavor the author (or maybe Disney? I have no idea how much sway the Mouse had in the details) separates Mulan and Shang for most of the book. First it's the barrier of her being empress, and him desperately trying to place an emotional wall between them to guard his breaking heart as she extends far from his reach; then her ministers betray her and basically kidnap her and smuggle her out of the city so they can enact a quiet coup; then Shang finds her, only for her to then send him on his way to rally what troops he can to fend off a new Hun invasion. Shang is then absent for the rest of the story until the final... I think it was 10% of the book when he appears with the army that they sorely needed to fight back the invading horde. And even then, he's fairly calm and collected considering his empress and the love of his life was taken hostage by the invading enemy force.
But fucking. WHATEVER I GUESS!!!!!
Mulan could have been so much more effective as a leader and a soldier had they simply allowed Shang to stay by her side. The narrative turned a talented general in love with his empress into an errand boy, rather than someone who would have gladly risked life and limb to keep her safe. In the first movie, Shang runs out after Mulan (Well, Ping.) when she runs out to face the huns alone. Completely unconcerned with his own life as he chases her down to attempt to bring her back behind cover. He risks severe punishment by the laws of the land sparing her life when she is revealed to be a woman. When Shanyu breaks into the Imperial Palace, he does very much put himself between her and him before Shanyu effectively bats him aside like a gnat (bless him).
And I may hate the second movie with every fiber of my being (have since I was a wee lass), and the book obviously pretends it never happened, but Shang still very much decides to die to save her rather than risk killing them both.
This is not the man I read here!!!!!!!
The fact that Shang did not immediately decide to stay stuck to her side like glue while she got her bearings in her first days as empress is insane to me. He might have placed hand-picked guards outside her rooms to watch over her, but considering how cautious he is when talking about their relationship, looking around as if the walls themselves have ears, there is just no way he would have trusted anyone but himself to keep her safe. Especially when Mulan suspected one of her militia to be a traitor!!!!!
But Girl Power™. Don't worry about it.
Also, there was a hilarious instance in the book in which the Hun prince (who had been offered up to her in a political marriage and she declined) tried to win her over after attacking and taking her hostage by pointing out that it wouldn't be so bad being married to him! They have female soldiers amongst the Huns, he says! And, I shit you not, he says exactly this:
Ah, yes. I love seeing modern terminology in my Imperial Chinese historical fiction/fantasy novel. Especially a term that didn't arise until the 18th century. (Yes. I did google this.)
Anyway, that made me laugh.
And I need to nitpick the battle that happened between Mulan's ragtag forces and the Huns' military might of tens of thousands strong.
Mulan's forces put up a pretty good fight for a day. It's a hard fight, and she loses people. But the Huns...retreat? Mulan's force numbers no more than a couple thousand. At most. The Huns came with tens of thousands of men.
And they retreat.
What the fuck.
And my biggest pet peeve: like clockwork, the Huns retreated once the sun dipped below the horizon, and allowed Mulan's scant militia to rest and sleep and regroup.
Why. The FUCK!!! Would the Huns have not wiped them out in the night. It would have been so fucking easy. They had the numbers. Plenty of fresh troops to wipe out Mulan's militiamen and either kill or take the empress of China hostage.
But no. The Huns politely waited until morning to stir and begin preparation for another assault, giving Mulan time to decide to surrender herself to them.
I am SORRY but it's just SO!!! STUPID!!!!!!!!!
I also don't understand why this was literally just a rehash of the movie's plot, but less interesting. The main issue was not even the coup, but the Huns' invasion. If that was the case, Mulan didn't need to be empress. She could have been a newly minted general or another army officer being tested for the first time.
The empress plot really fucking bugs me, man.
OH!!!!! One more thing. Her entirely female militia? In what world would these women have even been allowed to be a part of it? Some of them had children. You're telling me their fathers and husbands and brothers would have permitted them to go off to serve the empress and fight for her on a whim? Hell! Before she was empress, she was just "Commander Mulan." I simply do not see the men in these women's lives allowing this to happen. It requires IMMENSE suspension of disbelief to just accept this facet of the story.
All right. That was most of what I hated. I think. I must be missing something, but surely that was the most grievous sins committed.
So, what I did like:
-The Mulan/Shang content. They are such a formative influence on me. Five year old me was enamored with her and him and them, and they became the blueprint for my taste in fiction (both read and written). There were a few moments that rang true for them. Like when Mulan snuck out of the palace to the archery range to clear her thoughts, and Shang sneaks up on her, shooting an arrow to announce his presence.
He teases her that she needs to keep her guard up. And they proceed to spar to help relieve the weighty matters from her shoulders, if only for a moment.
The fact that they only spar together once is insane to me, but I'll take what I can get. I actually think the end, in which Mulan officially declares that she wants to marry Shang, should have been done during a sparring session. Not over tea.
But WHATEVER!!!
I also liked that Mulan and Shang got to have a hot and heavy makeout session against a tree. It was the happiest I felt when reading this book. It felt fucking WONDERFUL to have my ultimate OTP locked in such a passionate embrace in an official Disney novel. I won, in this regard.
-I liked that they did let her be a soldier again. It was when Mulan felt most like herself. Mulan means so much to me as a character, and she truly became the basis on which many of my own characters are shaped from. So any glimpse of the fierce warrior woman that she is was a balm to my haggard mind. A shame that this was marred by the weird Queen's Council bullshit.
-I loved the inclusion of the Hun prince Erban lmfao. He was so spiteful having his marriage proposal so decidedly refused. I desperately wanted more of him, and I really wish that they had him more present in the narrative. The glimpse we got of him when Mulan was taken prisoner was so fun.
I mean, c'mon:
There was SO MUCH potential there. That little exchange held so much promise for a delightfully antagonistic relationship between them. Not to mention Shang would have had to be tied down to keep from bashing the prince's brains in. But this exchange also happened 87% into the book. So it was not to be. Tragic.
-I loved that they had a merchant Mulan was briefly traveling with when disguised as a man after being coup-ed out of the Imperial City mistake her and Shang for a gay couple. Not in the "yaaaaassss gay <3" but in the "Wow! Bare minimum rep in our Disney book! And during Pride month. [slow, sarcastic clap]"
I don't know, it made me laugh. Very on par with the Mouse.
Okay, so that last part was a really sarcastic "I loved this," but my Things I Liked list turned out to be a lot shorter than I thought it would be. Whoops.
This book does get three stars specifically because of the Mulan/Shang content. I love them so much, and I am starved for content of them. Otherwise, this probably would have gotten two stars. So, there you go, Disney. You got an extra star out of me for giving me my otp.
I'm not even sure how much of the fault lies with the author, especially seeing as her acknowledgements section has a laundry list of people she thanked in the writing of this novel—these people had a say in every draft, in numerous bits of the novel, and even in how to write the romance. So it's like. I feel like the Mouse might be mostly to blame here, as I'm sure the commissioning of this novel went something like "Make Mulan empress. Don't know how, don't care how. Just make it happen. Oh—also, don't forget to hammer home the Girl Power™"
This is an anthology series, after all, and it seems like this Queen's Council is a Thing that will happen in every book. So the author didn't exactly have free rein to do what she wished here. Which is a pity.
Anyway, I will probably buy this eventually, despite its flaws. If only because I refuse to not own one of the few scraps of official Mulan/Shang content out there.
I admittedly went into this book not expecting much. My main reason for reading it at all was that it had that sweet, sweet Mulan/Shang content that I so yearn for—but that was basically all I was here for, and tried my best to remind myself of this as I read.
And yet this book still chafed.
The book's premise is shaky at best. In the years (I assume? It wasn't made clear, honestly.) since Mulan saved China, my girl's been busy. She commands an all female militia which apparently acts as a sort of defense/police-ish force for her area of the countryside. Maybe just her village. Hard to say, as the book opens with her and her militia on a mission to apprehend some slightly influential brigands who have been causing trouble, and she seemed to be doing the job for the local magistrate, which I assume would be in charge of more than just her village. Especially since he seemed slightly surprised when she succeeded in her endeavor.
I don't know, I just assume that if it was someone in her village, they would have had more faith in her.
Anyway, I digress (I will probably do that a lot). She's been busy, but one day Shang (!!!) shows up at her village in his fine soldier regalia (he's a general now. be still my heart.) to tell her that she must report to the Imperial City immediately, as the Emperor requires her presence.
Well, turns out that the Emperor is unwell, and he has decided to name her his heir. Apparently, his own daughters gave up their right to rule when they married commoners, and there is just no one else in his family with the qualifications to rule China.
Sure. Whatever.
And within days (??? I think it was days?? Maybe a few weeks??), the Emperor's health declines, and he dies before Mulan can give voice to her desire to renounce his decision to make her his heir. And so begins a lackluster foray into what could have been a fun book.
This was the foundation upon which our tale was set. Why on Earth would the Emperor name Mulan—a peasant with no royal blood or diplomatic training, and a WOMAN besides—his heir? It feels completely inauthentic and I hated it. I know that this anthology is called the Queen's Council, but I really think it would have been far more believable and fun had the Emperor called upon Mulan to be his personal guard, or an officer in his army. Hell! Make her a general! Armies have more than one general!!! And Shang was both a general and the Minister of War—she could have worked with him and still had influence along with the Emperor's ear. Hell!! Even make her the Minister of War! It would still make her a leader, and within the bounds of her expertise, in a far more believable fashion.
This book also had an insane amount of magic involved. Which like, fine, sure. The movie had Mushu and the ancestors and the guardians. But the movie was incredibly grounded in reality despite this. Mulan's merits were her own. She saved China due to her own martial prowess and tactical mind. Magic had nothing to do with it.
And yet this book had magical spirits intervene—her Queen's Council. Yes, they said The Thing—which were summoned from across time via magic portal. Warrior women and female leaders who came to a magical In-Between world to advise her on the matters of war and leadership.
It was awful, if I'm being honest. I'm sure these women all had historical significance in Chinese history (I cannot remember their names for all of the weight they carried in the narrative), but it severely detracted from Mulan's skills and her own abilities as a warrior and leader. Mulan cannot rally a defense on her own, we must summon the Queen's Council! Mulan cannot garner the respect of her people on her own, the Queen's Council's ghostly specters must arrive to wow her people and her court into respecting her.
It really left a bad taste in my mouth.
And to that effect! I understand that we were going for a Girl Power™ narrative here, so we surrounded Mulan with two-dimensional female characters in which she could trust and confide in—but in this endeavor the author (or maybe Disney? I have no idea how much sway the Mouse had in the details) separates Mulan and Shang for most of the book. First it's the barrier of her being empress, and him desperately trying to place an emotional wall between them to guard his breaking heart as she extends far from his reach; then her ministers betray her and basically kidnap her and smuggle her out of the city so they can enact a quiet coup; then Shang finds her, only for her to then send him on his way to rally what troops he can to fend off a new Hun invasion. Shang is then absent for the rest of the story until the final... I think it was 10% of the book when he appears with the army that they sorely needed to fight back the invading horde. And even then, he's fairly calm and collected considering his empress and the love of his life was taken hostage by the invading enemy force.
But fucking. WHATEVER I GUESS!!!!!
Mulan could have been so much more effective as a leader and a soldier had they simply allowed Shang to stay by her side. The narrative turned a talented general in love with his empress into an errand boy, rather than someone who would have gladly risked life and limb to keep her safe. In the first movie, Shang runs out after Mulan (Well, Ping.) when she runs out to face the huns alone. Completely unconcerned with his own life as he chases her down to attempt to bring her back behind cover. He risks severe punishment by the laws of the land sparing her life when she is revealed to be a woman. When Shanyu breaks into the Imperial Palace, he does very much put himself between her and him before Shanyu effectively bats him aside like a gnat (bless him).
And I may hate the second movie with every fiber of my being (have since I was a wee lass), and the book obviously pretends it never happened, but Shang still very much decides to die to save her rather than risk killing them both.
This is not the man I read here!!!!!!!
The fact that Shang did not immediately decide to stay stuck to her side like glue while she got her bearings in her first days as empress is insane to me. He might have placed hand-picked guards outside her rooms to watch over her, but considering how cautious he is when talking about their relationship, looking around as if the walls themselves have ears, there is just no way he would have trusted anyone but himself to keep her safe. Especially when Mulan suspected one of her militia to be a traitor!!!!!
But Girl Power™. Don't worry about it.
Also, there was a hilarious instance in the book in which the Hun prince (who had been offered up to her in a political marriage and she declined) tried to win her over after attacking and taking her hostage by pointing out that it wouldn't be so bad being married to him! They have female soldiers amongst the Huns, he says! And, I shit you not, he says exactly this:
"We're not as bigoted as your people."
Ah, yes. I love seeing modern terminology in my Imperial Chinese historical fiction/fantasy novel. Especially a term that didn't arise until the 18th century. (Yes. I did google this.)
Anyway, that made me laugh.
And I need to nitpick the battle that happened between Mulan's ragtag forces and the Huns' military might of tens of thousands strong.
Mulan's forces put up a pretty good fight for a day. It's a hard fight, and she loses people. But the Huns...retreat? Mulan's force numbers no more than a couple thousand. At most. The Huns came with tens of thousands of men.
And they retreat.
What the fuck.
And my biggest pet peeve: like clockwork, the Huns retreated once the sun dipped below the horizon, and allowed Mulan's scant militia to rest and sleep and regroup.
Why. The FUCK!!! Would the Huns have not wiped them out in the night. It would have been so fucking easy. They had the numbers. Plenty of fresh troops to wipe out Mulan's militiamen and either kill or take the empress of China hostage.
But no. The Huns politely waited until morning to stir and begin preparation for another assault, giving Mulan time to decide to surrender herself to them.
I am SORRY but it's just SO!!! STUPID!!!!!!!!!
I also don't understand why this was literally just a rehash of the movie's plot, but less interesting. The main issue was not even the coup, but the Huns' invasion. If that was the case, Mulan didn't need to be empress. She could have been a newly minted general or another army officer being tested for the first time.
The empress plot really fucking bugs me, man.
OH!!!!! One more thing. Her entirely female militia? In what world would these women have even been allowed to be a part of it? Some of them had children. You're telling me their fathers and husbands and brothers would have permitted them to go off to serve the empress and fight for her on a whim? Hell! Before she was empress, she was just "Commander Mulan." I simply do not see the men in these women's lives allowing this to happen. It requires IMMENSE suspension of disbelief to just accept this facet of the story.
All right. That was most of what I hated. I think. I must be missing something, but surely that was the most grievous sins committed.
So, what I did like:
-The Mulan/Shang content. They are such a formative influence on me. Five year old me was enamored with her and him and them, and they became the blueprint for my taste in fiction (both read and written). There were a few moments that rang true for them. Like when Mulan snuck out of the palace to the archery range to clear her thoughts, and Shang sneaks up on her, shooting an arrow to announce his presence.
He teases her that she needs to keep her guard up. And they proceed to spar to help relieve the weighty matters from her shoulders, if only for a moment.
The fact that they only spar together once is insane to me, but I'll take what I can get. I actually think the end, in which Mulan officially declares that she wants to marry Shang, should have been done during a sparring session. Not over tea.
But WHATEVER!!!
I also liked that Mulan and Shang got to have a hot and heavy makeout session against a tree. It was the happiest I felt when reading this book. It felt fucking WONDERFUL to have my ultimate OTP locked in such a passionate embrace in an official Disney novel. I won, in this regard.
-I liked that they did let her be a soldier again. It was when Mulan felt most like herself. Mulan means so much to me as a character, and she truly became the basis on which many of my own characters are shaped from. So any glimpse of the fierce warrior woman that she is was a balm to my haggard mind. A shame that this was marred by the weird Queen's Council bullshit.
-I loved the inclusion of the Hun prince Erban lmfao. He was so spiteful having his marriage proposal so decidedly refused. I desperately wanted more of him, and I really wish that they had him more present in the narrative. The glimpse we got of him when Mulan was taken prisoner was so fun.
I mean, c'mon:
Erban took a few steps out of the tent and then looked back. "You know, Mulan, you're not bad-looking for a warrior woman. Perhaps if you washed off the grime, you'd be pleasing enough on our wedding night."
Mulan spat on the ground. Erban simply smirked and walked away.
There was SO MUCH potential there. That little exchange held so much promise for a delightfully antagonistic relationship between them. Not to mention Shang would have had to be tied down to keep from bashing the prince's brains in. But this exchange also happened 87% into the book. So it was not to be. Tragic.
-I loved that they had a merchant Mulan was briefly traveling with when disguised as a man after being coup-ed out of the Imperial City mistake her and Shang for a gay couple. Not in the "yaaaaassss gay <3" but in the "Wow! Bare minimum rep in our Disney book! And during Pride month. [slow, sarcastic clap]"
I don't know, it made me laugh. Very on par with the Mouse.
Okay, so that last part was a really sarcastic "I loved this," but my Things I Liked list turned out to be a lot shorter than I thought it would be. Whoops.
This book does get three stars specifically because of the Mulan/Shang content. I love them so much, and I am starved for content of them. Otherwise, this probably would have gotten two stars. So, there you go, Disney. You got an extra star out of me for giving me my otp.
I'm not even sure how much of the fault lies with the author, especially seeing as her acknowledgements section has a laundry list of people she thanked in the writing of this novel—these people had a say in every draft, in numerous bits of the novel, and even in how to write the romance. So it's like. I feel like the Mouse might be mostly to blame here, as I'm sure the commissioning of this novel went something like "Make Mulan empress. Don't know how, don't care how. Just make it happen. Oh—also, don't forget to hammer home the Girl Power™"
This is an anthology series, after all, and it seems like this Queen's Council is a Thing that will happen in every book. So the author didn't exactly have free rein to do what she wished here. Which is a pity.
Anyway, I will probably buy this eventually, despite its flaws. If only because I refuse to not own one of the few scraps of official Mulan/Shang content out there.
October 15, 2022
****Actual Rating 3.5****
As a fan of Disney’s animated Mulan movies, I was curious about this take on a more historical sequel to her story. (plus that cover is BEAUTIFUL!!! How could I not read it after seeing that? 😍😍😍)
Overall it was good. Mulan and Shang (the only characters from the movies) sounded and acted like themselves, and their romance and the forbidden angle of it was my favorite part of the book, not gonna lie, haha. I liked the new character of Liwen too along with Mulan’s female militia as a whole. The battle scenes were really well done too as was Mulan’s uncertainty of ruling.
The spirits and spirit council I wasn’t a fan of though I’m not fully sure why, plus a weird thrown in gay implication that felt kinda out of place (see the content list below for further details on this part). There’s also a bunch of uses of fortune-telling throughout that I wasn’t a fan of, and I don’t think those who are more leery of magic will like it at all.
This was a fine book but will probably, sadly, be pretty forgettable for me. 😔
‼️Content‼️
Language: damn
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); several slaps to the face; a man punches a woman
Sexual: kissing (not detailed); kisses on the cheek and neck; dressed as a man Mulan is seen with another guy where a veiled implication is made that her man disguise could be gay
Other: magic; death and grief; some male servants are eunuchs; fortune-telling including cracking and reading oracle bones and consulting with an astrologer; belief in omens and superstitions; some characters are spirits; a spiritual realm; the Chinese practice of praying to departed ancestors; a character is a hostage/POW; a character is chained up
As a fan of Disney’s animated Mulan movies, I was curious about this take on a more historical sequel to her story. (plus that cover is BEAUTIFUL!!! How could I not read it after seeing that? 😍😍😍)
Overall it was good. Mulan and Shang (the only characters from the movies) sounded and acted like themselves, and their romance and the forbidden angle of it was my favorite part of the book, not gonna lie, haha. I liked the new character of Liwen too along with Mulan’s female militia as a whole. The battle scenes were really well done too as was Mulan’s uncertainty of ruling.
The spirits and spirit council I wasn’t a fan of though I’m not fully sure why, plus a weird thrown in gay implication that felt kinda out of place (see the content list below for further details on this part). There’s also a bunch of uses of fortune-telling throughout that I wasn’t a fan of, and I don’t think those who are more leery of magic will like it at all.
This was a fine book but will probably, sadly, be pretty forgettable for me. 😔
‼️Content‼️
Language: damn
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); several slaps to the face; a man punches a woman
Sexual: kissing (not detailed); kisses on the cheek and neck; dressed as a man Mulan is seen with another guy where a veiled implication is made that her man disguise could be gay
Other: magic; death and grief; some male servants are eunuchs; fortune-telling including cracking and reading oracle bones and consulting with an astrologer; belief in omens and superstitions; some characters are spirits; a spiritual realm; the Chinese practice of praying to departed ancestors; a character is a hostage/POW; a character is chained up
June 22, 2022
Do I love Mulan stories? Uh, yeah! She's one of my favorite princesses, a badass warrior who saved all of China. Plus, Shang is pretty great too and they make a perfect pairing. I was excited to see that this book has Mulan training an all female militia and empowering women. I completely believe that Mulan would continue uplifting others and helping them learn to help themselves.
The romance with Shang was great and while we got several scenes of them being adorable, the main plot focused on Mulan surviving betrayal and learning how to be a leader. I thought the balance was good and there was plenty of action to make the story fly by. I'm glad I finally dove into this one!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the copy.
The romance with Shang was great and while we got several scenes of them being adorable, the main plot focused on Mulan surviving betrayal and learning how to be a leader. I thought the balance was good and there was plenty of action to make the story fly by. I'm glad I finally dove into this one!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the copy.
Want to read
November 10, 2020Oooh, I love a good novel about Mulan.
I'm interested to see how Blackburne will twist the story of Mulan and make it fit a more historical setting, since I didn't really like what the creators of the live action remake did to the story. However, since this is a semi-sequel and not a direct retelling, I'll hopefully like this more.
I'm interested to see how Blackburne will twist the story of Mulan and make it fit a more historical setting, since I didn't really like what the creators of the live action remake did to the story. However, since this is a semi-sequel and not a direct retelling, I'll hopefully like this more.
December 21, 2021
**Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my opinion**
I haven't read any of Livia Blackburne's books prior to this, but I absolutely would seek them out now. I am a "quick" reader in terms of time spent reading, but it usually takes me several days to finish a book. I'm a "read a few chapters here and there" in a few different books kind of girl. But after I got about 1/3 of the way through this, that went out the window. I finished almost 250 pages of this book in a day because I just had to find out what happened next! I couldn't put it down.
For those unfamiliar, this is the second book in a new feminist series Disney is doing about "after the ever after", in which the princess characters are now charged with actually ruling the kingdoms they fought for or married/were born into the royal family of. The story is mixed with historical research to make that experience realistic while still having some Disney magic in the form of "the Queen's Council", which is a magical being who gives advice to the new female rulers from what I can gather. I've read the first one, which was about Belle during the French Revolution. You absolutely do not need to read them in order or read all of them to understand what's going on. The books can be read as a stand-alone for those who are really into one character but not another. That being said, for those who are considering reading the series, this one is far and away the better of the two and it's for a very simple reason: I never felt like Blackburne wrote Mulan in such a way that her choices were out of character for her.
The book opens a few years after Mulan has saved China. She has been training an all-female militia, which I LOVED and felt like something she would be doing (which the author confirmed was from historical research, but I also know was kind of hinted at in the sequel movie, just with children). As the Emperor is getting on in years and doesn't have a biological heir, he names Mulan as the new Empress of China. The book deals with her learning to become Empress, doubting her ability to rule the country, treason, backstabbing, war, etc. It is a very action-packed book. One of the things I really liked about this specific entry was that Blackburne trusted the audience to figure out the "villains" intentions on their own. She didn't force it on them in the way that I felt like Theriault did with Rebel Rose. If you're a younger reader or unfamiliar with the kind of trope this villain uses, I think the reveal will take you by surprise and even if you know and are expecting it, the reveal still has impact because of how it's done. Much preferred that to being constantly told "I don't know, there was just something off about him" over and over and over again.
My other big issue with Rebel Rose, despite liking it, is that Belle was out of character for a good portion of it. That didn't happen here. Mulan already had moments of self-doubt in the movie, which leads to the reader understanding when she has doubts here or how she could be lead to doubt herself more with enough coaxing. Despite that, she's still confident in situations that call for it and humble in other situations. Blackburne clearly understood all of the character traits Mulan possesses, both strengths and weaknesses, and was able to work that into the story so that it all felt right. She leans on her friends, but also tries to keep them from harm's way. She is willing to admit when she doesn't know the answer to something, but confident when she knows her idea will work. It's a reason Mulan is so beloved as a character and I think fans of her will be pleased with this portrayal.
I don't know as much about Chinese history as I do the French Revolution, but I enjoyed the inclusion of many women from China's history to help guide Mulan as she determines how best to approach a dangerous situation. In looking into it a little more, Blackburne was able to incorporate many Chinese women in history who played significant roles in protecting China, leading militias, or otherwise fighting in some capacity. This was an interesting topic that I would like to learn more about and will be sure to research more.
The romance and friendship aspects were also well done. There's a forbidden romance trope after Mulan is named the heir and there are multiple female friendships that pass the Bechdel test (hooray!). My only real concern with this series, moving forward, is that Mulan deals with a similar situation to Belle in that she's surrounded by misogynistic men who discount her solely because she's a woman. With Jasmine being the next up in the series, I'm interested to see if this is a situation that will be repeated a third time (expressly in men holding meetings behind the female rulers back). I'm hoping not or that at least the exact situation will be varied a little bit. I don't know if this is something that happened by accident, if the authors all decided on this, or if it's something stipulated by Disney, but I'm hoping for at least a slight change in that aspect.
Overall, I really liked this one. It took a recognizable character we all know and love and brought her into her country's history in a really entertaining way without sacrificing the characterization to do so. I would highly recommend you check out this installment of the Queen's Council series.
I haven't read any of Livia Blackburne's books prior to this, but I absolutely would seek them out now. I am a "quick" reader in terms of time spent reading, but it usually takes me several days to finish a book. I'm a "read a few chapters here and there" in a few different books kind of girl. But after I got about 1/3 of the way through this, that went out the window. I finished almost 250 pages of this book in a day because I just had to find out what happened next! I couldn't put it down.
For those unfamiliar, this is the second book in a new feminist series Disney is doing about "after the ever after", in which the princess characters are now charged with actually ruling the kingdoms they fought for or married/were born into the royal family of. The story is mixed with historical research to make that experience realistic while still having some Disney magic in the form of "the Queen's Council", which is a magical being who gives advice to the new female rulers from what I can gather. I've read the first one, which was about Belle during the French Revolution. You absolutely do not need to read them in order or read all of them to understand what's going on. The books can be read as a stand-alone for those who are really into one character but not another. That being said, for those who are considering reading the series, this one is far and away the better of the two and it's for a very simple reason: I never felt like Blackburne wrote Mulan in such a way that her choices were out of character for her.
The book opens a few years after Mulan has saved China. She has been training an all-female militia, which I LOVED and felt like something she would be doing (which the author confirmed was from historical research, but I also know was kind of hinted at in the sequel movie, just with children). As the Emperor is getting on in years and doesn't have a biological heir, he names Mulan as the new Empress of China. The book deals with her learning to become Empress, doubting her ability to rule the country, treason, backstabbing, war, etc. It is a very action-packed book. One of the things I really liked about this specific entry was that Blackburne trusted the audience to figure out the "villains" intentions on their own. She didn't force it on them in the way that I felt like Theriault did with Rebel Rose. If you're a younger reader or unfamiliar with the kind of trope this villain uses, I think the reveal will take you by surprise and even if you know and are expecting it, the reveal still has impact because of how it's done. Much preferred that to being constantly told "I don't know, there was just something off about him" over and over and over again.
My other big issue with Rebel Rose, despite liking it, is that Belle was out of character for a good portion of it. That didn't happen here. Mulan already had moments of self-doubt in the movie, which leads to the reader understanding when she has doubts here or how she could be lead to doubt herself more with enough coaxing. Despite that, she's still confident in situations that call for it and humble in other situations. Blackburne clearly understood all of the character traits Mulan possesses, both strengths and weaknesses, and was able to work that into the story so that it all felt right. She leans on her friends, but also tries to keep them from harm's way. She is willing to admit when she doesn't know the answer to something, but confident when she knows her idea will work. It's a reason Mulan is so beloved as a character and I think fans of her will be pleased with this portrayal.
I don't know as much about Chinese history as I do the French Revolution, but I enjoyed the inclusion of many women from China's history to help guide Mulan as she determines how best to approach a dangerous situation. In looking into it a little more, Blackburne was able to incorporate many Chinese women in history who played significant roles in protecting China, leading militias, or otherwise fighting in some capacity. This was an interesting topic that I would like to learn more about and will be sure to research more.
The romance and friendship aspects were also well done. There's a forbidden romance trope after Mulan is named the heir and there are multiple female friendships that pass the Bechdel test (hooray!). My only real concern with this series, moving forward, is that Mulan deals with a similar situation to Belle in that she's surrounded by misogynistic men who discount her solely because she's a woman. With Jasmine being the next up in the series, I'm interested to see if this is a situation that will be repeated a third time (expressly in men holding meetings behind the female rulers back). I'm hoping not or that at least the exact situation will be varied a little bit. I don't know if this is something that happened by accident, if the authors all decided on this, or if it's something stipulated by Disney, but I'm hoping for at least a slight change in that aspect.
Overall, I really liked this one. It took a recognizable character we all know and love and brought her into her country's history in a really entertaining way without sacrificing the characterization to do so. I would highly recommend you check out this installment of the Queen's Council series.
August 18, 2022
This is the second book in the Queens Court series & is a Mulan retelling! I absolutely adored this book & its unique take of a classic tale we have all come to love! I definitely recommend checking this book out if you love fairytale retellings & a strong fierce heroine! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 17, 2021
I loved this book! I don't know where to begin really as I loved everything about it. The story picks up where Mulan has saved China and is back at home. It is intriguing and fascinating. I was enchanted from the start. It as if they author knew Mulan's tale from beginning to end! Very well written and characters very well developed. It is woven with Chinese Culture that is so fascinating. I love how Mulan grew more confident as they story progressed. Many favorite characters from the story are back along with some awesome new ones too! So many surprises. I can't say enough how much I am loving this series.
Many thanks for the ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide thru Net Galley for a wonderful story and escape!
Many thanks for the ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide thru Net Galley for a wonderful story and escape!
November 26, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Livia Blackburne for the opportunity to read the eARC of Feather and Flame!
Mulan is my favorite Disney character and I was beyond excited to find out that she was the character for the next installment of The Queens Council series!
This book can be read as a standalone and I was super impressed how this novel has a seemless transition from the movie to this incredible story. Mulan is fierce and the female warriors she brings together creates such a strong cast of female power with the beautiful background descriptions I was transported into this book and couldn't put it down!
I will post my review on Netgalley, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Goodreads and Google play
Mulan is my favorite Disney character and I was beyond excited to find out that she was the character for the next installment of The Queens Council series!
This book can be read as a standalone and I was super impressed how this novel has a seemless transition from the movie to this incredible story. Mulan is fierce and the female warriors she brings together creates such a strong cast of female power with the beautiful background descriptions I was transported into this book and couldn't put it down!
I will post my review on Netgalley, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Goodreads and Google play
December 1, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Disney Publishing for a review copy of this book.
I really enjoyed the first book in the Queen’s council series, so this second book was highly anticipated for me. And thank goodness it held up to my expectations. This one follows Mulan after the first movie as she’s chosen to be the Heir to the throne by the emperor.
I loved exploring more of the relationship between Mulan and Shang, as well as the nods to the original animated film (and even the sequel), but the story still stands on its own and is a good companion work to the Disney version of the story.
I really enjoyed the first book in the Queen’s council series, so this second book was highly anticipated for me. And thank goodness it held up to my expectations. This one follows Mulan after the first movie as she’s chosen to be the Heir to the throne by the emperor.
I loved exploring more of the relationship between Mulan and Shang, as well as the nods to the original animated film (and even the sequel), but the story still stands on its own and is a good companion work to the Disney version of the story.
June 15, 2022
It’s been awhile since I’ve watched Mulan. When I saw the Book Tour for Feather and Flame I was so excited to know that there is a new follow up story and couldn’t wait to see what’s next for her.
It was an amazing read! Mulan was such an inspiration and continues to be as she begins her new adventure.
There was action, espionage, palace intrigue, friendship, deception in this action packed fantasy. And the very fate of China may be in her hands.
If you are a Mulan fan, you will love Feather and Flame!
Thank you to #RockstarTours and #DisneyHyperion for having me on this tour and allowing me to read this fantastic story!
It was an amazing read! Mulan was such an inspiration and continues to be as she begins her new adventure.
There was action, espionage, palace intrigue, friendship, deception in this action packed fantasy. And the very fate of China may be in her hands.
If you are a Mulan fan, you will love Feather and Flame!
Thank you to #RockstarTours and #DisneyHyperion for having me on this tour and allowing me to read this fantastic story!
November 30, 2021
A sequel that Mulan fans deserve. Let`s forget Mulan two, which was released in 2004.
Our warrior will have to face the greatest challenge of her life - Become the empress of China. After being summoned by the Emperor, who is reaching his final days, Mulan will inherit the kingdom.
Along with her all-female militia, yes, she has an army to call her own, Our warrior will have to learn the tricks of diplomacy to survive in her new role. However, not everybody is happy about the emperor`s decision, and an alliance with the Huns is forged behind her back.
Mulan will have to fight alongside her friends to stand a chance to free the kingdom from a greater evil.
Fight like a girl.
Our warrior will have to face the greatest challenge of her life - Become the empress of China. After being summoned by the Emperor, who is reaching his final days, Mulan will inherit the kingdom.
Along with her all-female militia, yes, she has an army to call her own, Our warrior will have to learn the tricks of diplomacy to survive in her new role. However, not everybody is happy about the emperor`s decision, and an alliance with the Huns is forged behind her back.
Mulan will have to fight alongside her friends to stand a chance to free the kingdom from a greater evil.
Fight like a girl.
February 26, 2022
Full Review: https://rueisreadingcorner.blogspot.c...
1) Rebel Rose
This book follows Mulan after her days on the battlefield as a soldier. She now runs her own militia that are all female warriors she has trained.
Then Shang arrives from the Imperial City, asking Mulan to go back with him. She soon meets the emperor who designates Mulan as the next empress, shocking everyone with the news.
The author incorporates the original elements into the book as well as newer elements. I love Mulan as a character in the book; she's so strong and stands up for herself and other women.
Overall, Feather and Flame was a good follow up in The Queen's Council series. I'm so excited to read the next book, a Jasmine retelling!
**Thank you so much to NetGalley and Disney Books for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!**
1) Rebel Rose
This book follows Mulan after her days on the battlefield as a soldier. She now runs her own militia that are all female warriors she has trained.
Then Shang arrives from the Imperial City, asking Mulan to go back with him. She soon meets the emperor who designates Mulan as the next empress, shocking everyone with the news.
The author incorporates the original elements into the book as well as newer elements. I love Mulan as a character in the book; she's so strong and stands up for herself and other women.
Overall, Feather and Flame was a good follow up in The Queen's Council series. I'm so excited to read the next book, a Jasmine retelling!
**Thank you so much to NetGalley and Disney Books for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!**
June 9, 2022
Somewhere between 3-4 stars. I couldn’t decide.
I really enjoyed Feather and Flame. BUT! I really wanted to LOVE this book—It’s based off one of my favorite Disney movies—and I couldn’t help being a smidge disappointed.
Feather and Flame picks up after the war with the Huns. Mulan has gone home, and now trains a militia of women from her village. One day Shang (cue the heart eyes) comes with a message: the emperor would like to meet with Mulan. Why? Because he wants her to be his heir, and Mulan is left with little choice. What follows is full of intrigue, court politics, war. The whole shebang.
Feather and Flame was great—it showed Mulan’s journey to becoming an empress. I loved the look into China’s politics, sexism, the war. There were some badass moments. While I liked what we got, I felt like there was so much missing.
• I was so confused about what happened from the movie and what didn’t. There were particular characters that were just totally wiped out and things that were just never mentioned. However, there were tons of nods to both movies. I would’ve been fine with this if it was a complete retelling—but I didn’t like that the author seemed to pick and choose what she wanted to use.
• I love Mulan’s original story. I love that she was determined to do what she had to do for her family and China. She doesn’t give up. She kicks ass. But we didn’t really get that Mulan here. I know being a soldier and an empress are two totally different things, but the character seemed off. She was ready to give up at every turn and really, until the turning point, she did nothing as empress.
• This book just didn’t know what it wanted to be. Like one minute, Mulan and Shang are like “I would like to marry you” and “ok” then they ride off, later they’re making out against a tree. One minute, Mulan just be “cutting down” her enemies, and then she slits someone’s throat. I literally said “dammmmmn, Disney” several times. This is a young adult book so I think it wouldn’t have hurt for it to be a bit more mature.
• I know I know I know. This is not a romance. I love Shang and Mulan. And all I wanted was some cute little shy moments. Did I get them? No, not really. Maybe one *ahem* see tree scene. Mainly we just got a lot of insistence that they liked each other, but not much follow through. It sounds like this was something the author struggled with though, from what you can read in the acknowledgements.
• Finally, I would have preferred more feeling, more description. I didn’t totally love the author’s writing style. I wanted to see where we were more, get into Mulan’s head more. I just wanted more.
This review is getting long and I didn’t mean for it to, so I’m going to wrap it up. One thing I did want to add was that the magic included in this book was really cool. I loved the inclusion of the spirits and their role in the story. There’s also a bit toward the end where you’ll find out about the “Queen’s Council” and that was done really well I thought.
In the end, I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. I thought I was getting one thing, and I really thought that’s what we were getting at first, but the book changed into something different. It was just a little lackluster for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC!
I really enjoyed Feather and Flame. BUT! I really wanted to LOVE this book—It’s based off one of my favorite Disney movies—and I couldn’t help being a smidge disappointed.
Feather and Flame picks up after the war with the Huns. Mulan has gone home, and now trains a militia of women from her village. One day Shang (cue the heart eyes) comes with a message: the emperor would like to meet with Mulan. Why? Because he wants her to be his heir, and Mulan is left with little choice. What follows is full of intrigue, court politics, war. The whole shebang.
Feather and Flame was great—it showed Mulan’s journey to becoming an empress. I loved the look into China’s politics, sexism, the war. There were some badass moments. While I liked what we got, I felt like there was so much missing.
• I was so confused about what happened from the movie and what didn’t. There were particular characters that were just totally wiped out and things that were just never mentioned. However, there were tons of nods to both movies. I would’ve been fine with this if it was a complete retelling—but I didn’t like that the author seemed to pick and choose what she wanted to use.
• I love Mulan’s original story. I love that she was determined to do what she had to do for her family and China. She doesn’t give up. She kicks ass. But we didn’t really get that Mulan here. I know being a soldier and an empress are two totally different things, but the character seemed off. She was ready to give up at every turn and really, until the turning point, she did nothing as empress.
• This book just didn’t know what it wanted to be. Like one minute, Mulan and Shang are like “I would like to marry you” and “ok” then they ride off, later they’re making out against a tree. One minute, Mulan just be “cutting down” her enemies, and then she slits someone’s throat. I literally said “dammmmmn, Disney” several times. This is a young adult book so I think it wouldn’t have hurt for it to be a bit more mature.
• I know I know I know. This is not a romance. I love Shang and Mulan. And all I wanted was some cute little shy moments. Did I get them? No, not really. Maybe one *ahem* see tree scene. Mainly we just got a lot of insistence that they liked each other, but not much follow through. It sounds like this was something the author struggled with though, from what you can read in the acknowledgements.
• Finally, I would have preferred more feeling, more description. I didn’t totally love the author’s writing style. I wanted to see where we were more, get into Mulan’s head more. I just wanted more.
This review is getting long and I didn’t mean for it to, so I’m going to wrap it up. One thing I did want to add was that the magic included in this book was really cool. I loved the inclusion of the spirits and their role in the story. There’s also a bit toward the end where you’ll find out about the “Queen’s Council” and that was done really well I thought.
In the end, I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. I thought I was getting one thing, and I really thought that’s what we were getting at first, but the book changed into something different. It was just a little lackluster for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC!
February 4, 2022
I must say I was impressed with this book, I loved the idea of the series the publisher had for these books, having the princess characters now taking over their kingdoms. This one is based in Mulan, while the first one was Bella. In this one we get into China after it was saved by the princess in the original story, we get a lot of historical aspects, which you can say the author took the time researching in order to be accurate to the character and the history. Definitely loved it and would totally recommend it!
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February 7, 2024
This was a great book, but I expected nothing less when it revolves around Mulan.
I think the main reason I liked it as much as I did was because it didn’t stray too much from the source material and managed to tell an original story that honours the original film. In my opinion, it was perfectly paced from beginning to end - it wasn’t one of those books that takes forever to get to the main point of the story, there was always something that kept me interested and invested in what was happening. The journey that Mulan goes on in this book is a clever parallel of the one she experiences in the film: one of discovering her true potential and how she’s stronger and more capable than she originally thinks. There were a couple of twists that I wasn’t expecting too, but they only made me want to read more to find out what happened next. On the whole, Feather and Flame is a great read and a brilliant continuation of Mulan’s story.
I think the main reason I liked it as much as I did was because it didn’t stray too much from the source material and managed to tell an original story that honours the original film. In my opinion, it was perfectly paced from beginning to end - it wasn’t one of those books that takes forever to get to the main point of the story, there was always something that kept me interested and invested in what was happening. The journey that Mulan goes on in this book is a clever parallel of the one she experiences in the film: one of discovering her true potential and how she’s stronger and more capable than she originally thinks. There were a couple of twists that I wasn’t expecting too, but they only made me want to read more to find out what happened next. On the whole, Feather and Flame is a great read and a brilliant continuation of Mulan’s story.
January 4, 2022
I received this book via Disney-Hyperion (on NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
What a fantastic story of Mulan and her becoming the Ruler of China! I could not put this book down! I kept wanting to read more and more to see what happens. I enjoyed the little nods to the story we already know with new elements added in.
Mulan’s personality was written so well by Blackburne. I liked how realistic and relatable Mulan was. You could feel for her in her struggles at grasping becoming the ruler. You can feel how much she loves the people and making sure them and the country is protected.
Mulan is strong, but still has her friends and allies to always be there to help. I liked how everyone played an important role no matter big or small their presence was in the story.
What a fantastic story of Mulan and her becoming the Ruler of China! I could not put this book down! I kept wanting to read more and more to see what happens. I enjoyed the little nods to the story we already know with new elements added in.
Mulan’s personality was written so well by Blackburne. I liked how realistic and relatable Mulan was. You could feel for her in her struggles at grasping becoming the ruler. You can feel how much she loves the people and making sure them and the country is protected.
Mulan is strong, but still has her friends and allies to always be there to help. I liked how everyone played an important role no matter big or small their presence was in the story.
January 9, 2024
This was such a great retelling of Mulan!! It stuck to the original movie for back story, then only after that did Livia take free range to create a whole other plot for this book! And I was obsessed!! I loved seeing Shang in this and their romance blossom and learn to trust each other!! The women warriors were epic!! Fight and show your worth girls! I loved seeing more emperor and the grandmother. I know that this was liberty but I could honestly see this happen after the movie. Overall such a good book. The only thing that I was sad about is there was no Mushu and Cricket! I know they wouldn’t be able to talk, but Khan, the horse, was in the book so I feel like they should have. And for that this book is 4.5/5 stars but I still really loved it!!!
October 31, 2021
Thank you first off Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review for my honest opinion.
What drew me into this book was first off the cover, it is spectacular! I have pre-ordered a hard copy!
Second was the overview. I am so glad I was provided the opportunity to read this book!
Although it is the retelling of the Disney story, Mulan it is so much more!
It is packed full of Chinese history, folklore, and best of all MAGIC!
Truly a magical story, what more could we expect from Disney?
What drew me into this book was first off the cover, it is spectacular! I have pre-ordered a hard copy!
Second was the overview. I am so glad I was provided the opportunity to read this book!
Although it is the retelling of the Disney story, Mulan it is so much more!
It is packed full of Chinese history, folklore, and best of all MAGIC!
Truly a magical story, what more could we expect from Disney?
November 9, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! I'm a sucker for books that highlight different cultures and it was great seeing so much culture in this book. The author did a lot of research in order to include as much details as she did. The story follows Mulan after the end of the movie. While she is training her own militia of women, she gets summoned by the emperor to the Imperial City and is announced as his heir. As you can imagine, being the first woman leader of China, things don't exactly go smoothly. Such a great book with many twists and turns along the way!
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 9, 2024
This book is meant to pick up after the events of the first movie, where after Mulan has saved china, the emperor is dying and declares her to be his heir. He passes away and the role of empress is bestowed upon her. She knows nothing about running a country and her advisors take advantage of that at every turn nearly causing china to fall to the Huns….again. Mulan has to overcome every obstacle thrown her way to prove to china that she is worthy to rule and will do so just as well as the emperor before her.
The book blends elements of the original animated film with the live action one, but nearly completely ignores the fact that the events of the second animated film existed. But honestly this is a better story than the second film in my opinion.
It’s a really good sequel to the beloved Disney film from my childhood.
The book blends elements of the original animated film with the live action one, but nearly completely ignores the fact that the events of the second animated film existed. But honestly this is a better story than the second film in my opinion.
It’s a really good sequel to the beloved Disney film from my childhood.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2022
Loved this so much! Such a good story, and it captured Mulan well. Her character didn’t get lost in translation. Shang too! Loved the new characters, as well. Definitely recommend!
November 8, 2024
Really nice story about how women are just so very great.
March 23, 2021
This book was received as an ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide - Disney Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I could not think of anything not to love about this book. It also could not have come at a better time to read after seeing the Disney Live Action Mulan movie. The drama in this story on Mulan starting her own female army but the soldiers of the old army "pretend" to follow her commands but meet in secret to overthrow her as the empress of the Imperial City as the heir to the throne when the emperor unexpectedly dies. Then if that wasn't enough, a soldier of Mulan's new militia betrays her and reports to the secret Huns and now she has to seek advice of the Queen's Council to save her crown and protect the people of the Imperial City. Loving the story of Mulan and having to read a modern continuation made me smile from ear to ear. I know our teen book club is sure to love it and I can't wait to hear their opinions.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I could not think of anything not to love about this book. It also could not have come at a better time to read after seeing the Disney Live Action Mulan movie. The drama in this story on Mulan starting her own female army but the soldiers of the old army "pretend" to follow her commands but meet in secret to overthrow her as the empress of the Imperial City as the heir to the throne when the emperor unexpectedly dies. Then if that wasn't enough, a soldier of Mulan's new militia betrays her and reports to the secret Huns and now she has to seek advice of the Queen's Council to save her crown and protect the people of the Imperial City. Loving the story of Mulan and having to read a modern continuation made me smile from ear to ear. I know our teen book club is sure to love it and I can't wait to hear their opinions.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
Want to read
March 15, 2021I see Mulan. I read the summary. WHEN IS THIS GORGEOUS BOOK COMING OUT?!!
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