G1168 Book Review of A bond undone by Jin Yong
Author: Jin Yong (trans by Gigi Chang)
ISBN: 978-1-250-22068-4
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Part of a Series: Legend of Condor Heroes
Type of book: Fantasy, martial arts, history, manipulation, love, 1200s, China, love, patriot, wuxia, greats, battles,
Year it was published: 1959 (in USA 2020)
Summary:
In the Jin capital of Zhongdu, Guo Jing learns the truth of his father’s death and finds he is now betrothed, against his will, to two women. Neither of them is his sweetheart Lotus Huang.
Torn between following his heart and fulfilling his filial duty, Guo Jing journeys through the country of his parents with Lotus, encountering mysterious martial heroes and becoming drawn into the struggle for the supreme martial text, the Nine Yin Manual. But his past is catching up with him. The widow of an evil man he accidentally killed as a child has tracked him down, intent on revenge.
Meanwhile, his true parentage at last revealed, Yang Kang, the young prince Guo Jing must face in the Garden of the Eight Drunken Immortals, is forced to choose his destiny. Will he continue to enjoy the life of wealth and privilege afforded to him by the invader of his homeland, or give up all he has known to avenge his parents?
Main characters include Guo Jing and Lotus Huang. Guo Jing is a son of a dead Song Patriot and he is best described as literal minded, very naive, and isn't capable of understanding people's motives. Yet he is persistent, honorable and tends to be like a Robin Hood. ( for fantasy lovers, think of him as Caramon Majere from very early Dragonlance series.) Lotus Huang, his true love/ crush, is manipulative, talented chef, quick thinking and also very loyal to her friends. She also descends from martial arts royalty one can say. There are tons of other characters, but it's easy to tell them apart. ( some include King of Beggars who listens to his stomach more than sense; then the Venom of Viper who works with poisons and has a nephew who desires Lotus; Squire Liu who has secrets of his own, even from his son, etc.)
Theme:
There are possibly a ton of themes that circulate the pages, and main ones are honor, repentance and respect.
Plot:
The story is written in third person narrative from what seems like everyone's point of view, although the main storytellers are Guo Jing and Lotus Huang. Strangely though, I didn't feel lost nor confused with additional characters, and I think that more than anything it's because of their memorable personalities. History wise, I am not sure what is accurate and what isn't, but as a fantasy tale it's a true hoot and delight to read.
Author Information:
(From the book)
Jin Yong (Pen name of Louis Cha) is a true phenomenon in the Chinese-speaking world. Born in mainland China, he spent most of his life writing novels and editing newspapers in Hong Kong. His enormously popular martial arts novels, written between the late 1950s and 1972, have become modern classics and remain a must-read for readers looking for danger and adventure. They have also inspired countless TV and video game adaptations.
Gigi Chang translates from Chinese into English. Her translations include classical Chinese dramas for the Royal Shakespeare Company and contemporary Chinese plays for London's Royal Court Theater, Hong Kong Arts Festival and Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre.
Opinion:
First of all, A Bond Undone is not a standalone tale, but connects to A Hero Born. ( in fact it picks up action right away after A Hero Born ends.) Having said that, I have to admit that this is a very engaging story that I imagine sharing with my son when he grows up. The pages fly at the speed of light, and one borrows deeper and deeper into this tale of love, honor and martial arts. I also love that women are more than their faces. It's also amazing that the story was written between 1950s and 1970s, but it's a very progressive novel in terms of treatment of women. I really look forward to reading the future sequels for this wonderful and action packed tale.
This was given for a review
4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
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