Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Publisher
Genre: YA / Historical / Retelling
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.
Feather and Flame, by author Livia Blackburne, is the second installment in The Queen's Council series which alternates between several different authors. In the second novel within the sweeping YA historical fantasy series Queen's Council, Mulan takes center stage as she is named empress of a people who do not want her, forbidden from marrying the man she loves, and facing a potential coup, she must return to the battlefield to fight for her right to rule. Mulan is older, wiser, and bolder—but still true to the personality, character traits, and values that made her beloved by generations of Disney fans.
Mulan is still considered to be Hero of China after she helped defeat the Huns and stopped the Hun leader from killing the emperor and taking over. I would say that this book sticks pretty close to the Disney version, rather than the recent Mulan movie version which was cleaned up and approved by the Chinese Communist Party before distribution. Mulan is now Commander of her own militia. A militia made up entirely of women who wanted more out of live than the mundane of every day life.
But things change when General Li Shang shows up and tells Mulan that the Emperor requests her presence in the Imperial City. Mulan’s relatively peaceful life is upended once more when 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.
The Queen's Council, a collection of badass former female warriors, 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 story richly blends Chinese history, folklore, and magic to tell the next chapter of Mulan’s epic story.
There are some excellent relationships in this book. From Mulan and her grandmother via Oracle bones, as well as her parents, to Liwen her second in command who is probably the most skilled fighter in her militia, to Zhonglin who is as mysterious as they come, until she reveals who she is and why she's here now. Then of course there is Mulan and Li Shang. The two have been separated for a long time. When he comes back into her life, and then she's thrust into powerful position, he has to stand back and take it all in. Empress's are supposed to marry for political reasons and Li Shang begins to question any future they might have once had.
When I first requested this title, the release date was November 9, 2021. After finishing this book, I learned that release date has now been pushed back to February 2022. Goodreads "claims" that the delay is due to supply chain issues. Really? You don't say! The first book in this series was Rebel Rose a retelling of Beauty and the Beast centering about Belle. The next book in the series is a retelling of Jasmine. As I mentioned, I would brush up on my Disney Mulan version before jumping into this story. Also, there's no MuShu in this story. Sorry!
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