nics_readingjournal 's review for:

Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto

3.5

inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Overall 3.5 Star Rating 

Installment #5 of the Meant to Be Series… modern day Disney classics reimagined, this is the first book I have read of this series and the only one I own.  

When I was first starting it, I was a little worried that it would be too cliche and cringey, the modern day twist on Mulan made me nervous. However, I was not disappointed. The characters Mulan and Mushu were written so well, Mushu provided the perfect balance of comedy to the overall story that was taking place. 

I loved that it took place in San Francisco (I love all California based books tbh). Mulan didn’t pretend to be Fa Ping like in the movie, but I think the spin that Jesse Sutanto put on it in the book fit really well with the setting. The new characters that Sutanto brought in added so much life to the story, each of them had their unique characteristics that added depth to the retelling. 

There were references to Love is Blind and TikTok and although I usually find things like that to be on the cringey side of writing, Sutanto did a great job of mentioning them without it feeling pushy or overbearing. This story stayed true to the original meaning of Mulan and what she has always represented. 

In the acknowledgments Jesse Sutanto writes a little about her background and her grandparents, in this you can feel how proud and happy she is to be writing this story. 

I am curious to see how the other Disney characters are panning out in today’s world. Meant to Be Series, I will be back for more.