sauvageloup 's review for:

Binu and the Great Wall by Su Tong

4.0

adventurous sad slow-paced

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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enjoyed this, reminded me of the magical realism and grittiness of Red Sorghum, though it was less graphic.

pros:
- really interesting folklore and magical elements, including Bínu's tears, the frogs, the butterflies, etc.
- Interesting quest tale and good writing, liked some of the turns of phrase
- the ending was suitably dramatic

cons:
- it was slow and a bit frustrating with how many obstacles Bínu faced, and her passivity at times, and it felt like the book sagged a lot in the middle

but i'm glad I read it and enjoyed it