As we travel back into the realm of books, I’d like to tell you about a beautiful retelling of Mulan that I read over this past winter break. The book Spin the Dawn and its sequel Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim is frequently described as Mulan meets Project Runway, and while after reading it I can’t help but think that is a lackluster description for such a gorgeous story, it was able to immediately grab my attention.
“All legends have a spark of truth. Sometimes more than a spark.”
― Spin the Dawn
You might be asking, how can you possibly create a story that combines Mulan with Project Runway? I’ll admit I found myself asking the same thing before reading this story. Elizabeth Lim tells the tale of a girl named Maia whose father is a famous tailor with his own business. She has always shown an incredible talent for needlework compared to the lack of interest that her brothers show towards the area, so when the Emperor invites famous tailors from across the land to compete to become the imperial tailor she takes her fathers place in the competition. She masquerades as her brother so that she will be allowed to compete and faces death for her deceit if she is found out. While competing she faces a plethora of challenges that test everything she has believed herself to be and she is not sure whether she will be the same person by the time this journey ends.
“I want you to know that some journeys have ends, but not this one. This one will change you. Irrevocably.”
“Don’t all journeys change you?”
“It isn’t the same.” He leaned forward. “I, too, once journeyed beyond the stars.”
“What did you find?”
His voice turned lethally soft. “That it’s just the beginning.”
― Spin the Dawn
What makes this book stand out is how colorfully and elegantly everything is described in this book. The simplest way to describe it would be that this book just makes you feel nostalgic for old fairytales of adventures, self-discovery, and even a bit of romance. Lim is a master of descriptive imagery and this just shines in the second half of the book when Maia goes on a quest to make three dresses from the laughter of the Sun, the tears of the Moon, and the blood of the Stars for the Lady Sarnai who is about to marry the Emperor. The way that she is able to describe what seems like such an abstract concept like the laughter of the Sun and somehow help you to actually visualize it in your head just shows how masterful her storytelling really is.
“I’d battled ghosts and touched the stars. I’d climbed a mountain to the moon and conquered the fury of the sun.”
― Spin the Dawn
This story is unique in so many ways, but especially in the fact that it feels like a fairytale but there is no princess. The main character is not some great hero that is tasked with saving her entire land. This story is about a tailor discovering her place in a world full magic and deceit while staying true to herself the entire way. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who has the time and interest to read it!
“Seize the wind,” I whispered. “Don’t become the kite that never flies.”
― Spin the Dawn
Nice post! I’m a fan of Disney’s Mulan so it was interesting to hear about a similar story told through these books. I especially love the story of Mulan because it’s not another typical “damsel in distress” scenario. The imagery in the books seems like it really makes the abstract concepts seem interesting, I’ll have to give it a read sometime!