Bound

Donna Jo Napoli's "Bound" reimagines the Cinderella myth in ancient China, focusing on Xing Xing, a young woman forced into servitude after her father's death. She navigates a society where women are devalued and traditions like footbinding dictate a woman's worth. Despite her harsh reality, Xing Xing cultivates her talents in poetry and calligraphy, dreaming of independence. The story explores themes of resilience, justice, and the fight for self-determination against a backdrop of familial greed and societal pressure. It's suitable for young adult readers interested in historical fiction and powerful female protagonists.

YOUNG XING XING IS BOUND. Bound to her father's second wife and daughter after Xing Xing's father has passed away. Bound to a life of servitude as a young girl in ancient China, where the life of a woman is valued less than that of livestock. Bound to be alone and unmarried, with no parents to arrange for a suitable husband. Dubbed "Lazy One" by her stepmother, Xing Xing spends her days taking care of her half sister, Wei Ping, who cannot walk because of her foot bindings, the painful but compulsory tradition for girls who are fit to be married. Even so, Xing Xing is content, for now, to practice her gift for poetry and calligraphy, to tend to the mysterious but beautiful carp in her garden, and to dream of a life unbound by the laws of family and society. But all of this is about to change as the time for the village's annual festival draws near, and Stepmother, who has spent nearly all of the family's money, grows desperate to find a husband for Wei Ping. Xing Xing soon realizes that this greed and desperation may threaten not only her memories of the past, but also her dreams for the future. In this searing story, Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of "Beast and Breath," delves into the roots of the Cinderella myth and unearths a tale as powerful as it is familiar.