The Crystal Ribbon
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Wonder, mysticism, heartache, and joy are the stones that set the path to one girl's journey as her destiny unfolds.In the village of Huanan, in medieval China, the deity that rules is the Great Huli Jing. Though twelve-year-old Li Jing's name is a different character entirely from the Huli Jing, the sound is close enough to provide constant teasing-but maybe is also a source of greater destiny and power. Jing's life isn't easy. Her father is a poor tea farmer, and her family has come to the conclusion that in order for everyone to survive, Jing must be sacrificed for the common good. She is sold as a bride to the Koh family, where she will be the wife and nursemaid to their three-year-old son, Ju'nan. It's not fair, and Jing feels this bitterly, especially when she is treated poorly by the Koh's, and sold yet again into a worse situation that leads Jing to believe her only option is to run away, and find home again. With the help of a spider who weaves Jing a means to escape, and a nightingale who helps her find her way, Jing embarks on a quest back to Huanan--and to herself.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
At age 11, Li Jing is sent away from her beloved father and brothers, and married off for five pieces of silver. Her family assures her that she will be cared for by the Guos, but she is instead greeted by a life of servitude and harsh beatings. As a tongyang xi, Jing serves as caregiver for her three-year-old child husband. The Guos, in financial straits, sell Jing to a chinglou, where she is to become a courtesan. Refusing to resign herself to this life, she escapes with the aid of forces both human and magical. Set in 1102 C.E. in medieval China, Lim's debut viscerally captures the harsh realities of Jing's life. Despite the often difficult circumstances, Jing is surrounded by people and forces willing to help her, rewarding her kindness and persistence. These supportive presences, coupled with Jing's encounters with magical spirits and the noble feats she accomplishes throughout her journey, give Lim's novel a mythical air. Well-researched historical elements meet rich fantasy in this tale of determination and devotion. Ages 8 12.
