“‘The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.Reflection: A Twisted Tale – Elizabeth Lim, Disney Press, (9781484781296), 2018

“Only the brave may enter, but only the worthy may leave.” I am a girl who has fought battle after battle to finally recognize herself in the mirror. I am a girl who journeyed into the Underworld to save her friend from dying. “I am Fa Mulan, a girl who would sacrifice her life for her family and for China. Overall, this is a great book that people across different age groups can enjoy and I highly recommend it! It was so easy to imagine it, that there were times that I felt that there was a movie in my mind while I was reading because the scenes were just forming in my head. It was also so well described that when I was reading it, I could envision what the Underworld looked like. I’m not sure if it is based purely on her imagination or if it is based on mythology but the world that she created was so mystical. Mulan’s journey to the Underworld is action-packed and I loved how the author created the Underworld.

Unable to heal from his wounds, his soul drifts off to the Underworld, and Mulan travels down to the Underworld to bring Captain Lee’s soul back to the living. However, unlike the Disney version, the story takes a different turn because Captain Shang Lee is fatally injured during this incident. I had always admired Mulan ever since I was a little girl so when I heard that there was a retelling, I eagerly hunted for a copy of the book! The story of Reflection occurs after Mulan causes an avalanche that decimates most of the Hun army. Will Mulan be able to save Shang before it’s too late? Will he ever be able to trust her again? Or will she lose him–and be lost in the Underworld⁠-forever? Moreover, Mulan is still disguised as the soldier called Ping, wrestling with the decision to reveal her true identity to her closest friend. With the help of Shang’s great lion guardian ShiShi, Mulan must traverse Diyu to find Shang’s spirit, face harrowing obstacles, and leave by sunrise⁠-or become King Yama’s prisoner forever.

But King Yama, the ruler of Diyu, is not willing to give Shang up easily. When Captain Shang is mortally wounded by Shan Yu in battle, Mulan must travel to the Underworld, Diyu, in order to save him from certain death. What if Mulan had to travel to the Underworld?

Reflection by elizabeth lim