Bound

by Donna Jo Napoli

Book Overview

In a novel based on Chinese Cinderella tales, fourteen-year-old stepchild Xing-Xing endures a life of neglect and servitude, as her stepmother cruelly mutilates her own child's feet so that she alone might marry well.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689861753
• ISBN13: 9780689861758
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Length: 186 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 7.3"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

my amazing review

How many of you have siblings? Well those who do can relate to this book. Do you remember when you thought your mother loved a sibling more than you? Well this is a reality for young Xing Xing; her step-mother does love her step-sister more. Xing Xing's mother and father died when she was young, and from then on she was forever forced to tend to her step-mother's and step-sister's every wish.'Bound' by Donna Jo Napoli was the Cinderlla story of a girl in ancient China. Donna Jo Napoli has also written 'Breath' and 'Beast' and many more. Even thought the customs are real and the places are real, this book is still fiction, furthermore it is historical fiction. The title 'Bound' has many meanings; one, Xing Xing was bound to her father's second wife and daughter. Two, bound or destined to be unmarried with no parents to arrange for a suitable husband. Also, another meaning involving her step-sister; her step-sister's feet were being bound. In ancient China, women with large feet and unmarried women were frowned upon. Xing Xing's step-sister, Wei Ping, is having her feet boung during the novel, feet binding is a process in which one's feet are bound to break the toes in order to have smaller feet. Xing Xing is named 'lazy one' by her step-mother, when in reality she is the one doing all the work. She cooks, cleans, runs errands, and tends to her aggonizing sister. When her father passed away, his last wish was for Xing Xing to take care of his spirit and her mother's spirit. Step-mother is not only cruel to Xing Xing, but also neglect to take care of their family's ancestors, which is wrong and will bring about bad luck for their fmaily. More than bad luck, Xing Xing is worried about disappointing her father,so she makes it her duty to tend to her parents' spirits. Many minor conflicts and struggles occur along the way; including an evil raccoon, a beautiful fish that may or may not be reincarnated as her mother and a beautiful ball that is held. At the time of the ball, Wei Ping, Xing Xing's step-sister, is trying to find a suitable husband. For some odd reason, Step-mother is being nice to Xing Xing and allowing her to go to the ball. Xing Xing knows step-mother is up to something, so she decides not to go with her. Later she sneaks out to the ball wearing her dead mother's dress and golden shoes. At the time of the ball is when the Cinderlla part kicks in. I won't give away the ending, but everyone knows every Cinderlla finds her Prince Charming. This is not the only major conflict; a reoccuring conflict is step-mother being cruel to Xing Xing and her mother's spirit and Xing Xing having to take care of the family when both step-mother and step-sister are ill. I strongly recommend this book to girls because it a has a beautiful ending, but still has substance. The author spares the gruesome details of feet binding and other atrocities, however, does not try to cover them up. I really enjoyed this book and I learned alot about anci

"Bound" to be a classic!

This book is definitely "Bound" to be a classic, and not just because it a version of a classic fairy tale. It interweaves a story so common and a culture so exotic to many, especially young adults. The way the culture is infused with this timeless tale is what will make it a bonified classic. It cuts through the hearts of readers with raw emotion and is informative all at the same time. It spans different genres and is truly a work of literary art, not just in the young adult world. I recommend it to anyone in love with fairy tales and Chinese culture, struggling women (young and old alike), and anyone man/woman looking for an engaging read. I promise, you'll be spellBound and won't want to put it down!

A rich story blending fairy tale themes & historical detail

Donna Jo Napoli's well-written, elaborate retellings of classic stories have reinvented those fairy tales for new, more sophisticated audiences. With her new novel, BOUND, Napoli continues her tradition by placing the Cinderella story in a specific time and place: the seventeenth-century Ming Dynasty in northern China. By doing so, Napoli is able to combine actual history with fairy tale elements to create a rich and emotionally complex novel. After Xing Xing's beloved father dies, she is left to the custody of his second wife, her cruel stepmother. Stepmother has just one goal: to help her only daughter Wei Ping marry well. Although Wei Ping is already fifteen years old, Stepmother decides to bind her feet, a process that was usually begun in early childhood. Stepmother is convinced that this horrific process, which her late husband frowned upon, will make Wei Ping more attractive to potential suitors. Instead, it gives the girl debilitating pain and a life-threatening infection. While her stepsister heals, Xing Xing becomes the family servant, dressed in rags and only secretly practicing the "three perfections" --- painting, poetry, and calligraphy --- which her father had valued and helped cultivate in her. Xing Xing loves to learn, but adults in her society discourage it, saying that "lack of talent in a woman is a virtue." As Xing Xing attempts to practice her art and evade her evil Stepmother, she finds solace from an unexpected source --- a giant fish who may be the spirit of her late mother. Napoli's story bears a general resemblance both to traditional Western Cinderella stories and to the much older Chinese Cinderella tales. By placing her story in a specific time and place, Napoli also introduces historical details and themes about the value of women, which add depth to the tale. All the familiar elements are here: the cruel stepmother, the stepsister (who here is not really evil, just needy), the fancy dress, the lost shoe, and the prince. What may be surprising is why Xing Xing seeks to marry the prince --- rather than romance, prestige, or the love of fine things, Xing Xing seeks a royal marriage because it may be her only chance to grow into a strong, accomplished, and independent woman. --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

Excellent book!

I was VERY excited to see that a new book had come out by Donna Jo Napoli. I love many of her books. My favorite is Zel, and Sirena is also very good. Bound is a very excellent book and I am very pleased with it, especially because it was better than Beast, which i personally thought could have been a bit better. Bound is based on the Chinese version of Cinderella. I loved how it was filled with details about life in ancient China, and it was very interesting to learn more about the tradition of girls having their feet bound to make them smaller. The only small complaint I have with this book is that the end seems a bit rushed, but I really loved how the whole book was filled with Xing Xing's daily life. I especially was fascinated with Xing Xing's crazy stepmother. The book IS expensive, but i suggest you buy it!

Bound to a life of service

Fourteen-year-old Xing Xing lives in ancient China and her life is literally "bound". Bound by the old traditions of China where she must become the servant of her stepmother after her father's death. Bound by the injustice and ill treatment of women. Bound to remain a servant the rest of her life and be neglected by society. Bound to never find a husband because she has no parents to arrange her a suitable marriage. Xing Xing spends her days being a slave girl to her half-sister Wei Ping who is also bound, but in a different way. Wei Ping has her feet cruelly bound to make them small, a tradition in China, that symbolizes wealth and elegantness, a painful compulsory act if a girl is going to marry into the high society. Xing Xing however does not complain about her role in the family and secretly feeds her passion of and gift of poetry and calligraphy. She secretly dreams of a different life of freedom, a life that seems so far away, that is until the village has its annual festival, a big celebration in which Xing Xing's stepmother hopes to find a husband for Wei Ping. Things are going to change however and greed in the end might threaten all that Xing Xing has built up for herself. I am a Chinese-American and I really did feel this book lived up to my expectations and the Chinese Cinderella myth that is was based on. Life in Ancient China was not easy for women and the bound feet was something that my great-great-grandma had to go through too and it was a terrible experience for her. I have become a fan of Donna Jo Napoli after her book Daughter of Venice and Bound lived up to everything I'd hoped for. A definite recommendation!