Friday, April 8, 2011

Review - Bridge of Birds

Bridge of Birds
Author - Barry Hughart
Genre - Fiction
Pages - 278
ISBN - 0345321383


When the children of his village were struck with a mysterious illness, Number Ten Ox sought a wiseman to save them. He found master Li Kao, a scholar with a slight flaw in his character. Together, they set out to find the Great Root of POwer, the only possible cure.

The quest led them to a host of truly memorable characters, multiple wonders, incredible adventures—and strange coincidences, which were really not coincidences at all. And it involved them in an ancient crime that still perturbed the serenity of Heaven. Simply and charmingly told, this is a wry tale, a sly tale, and a story of wisdom delightfully askew. Once read, its marvels and beauty will not easily fade from the mind.
(from goodreads)



The story follows Ten Ox and Master Li all around China, from little villages, to vast labrynths, to grand palaces and lakes of death. We also encounter many fables, legends and myths in the story (along with nasty monsters and such) all of it blending into a remarkable read!

Tex Oxs village has come under Ku poison, only the children are affected and Ten Ox must go search for the great root of power (a ginseng root) before the children die. His journey takes many months, and he encounters many memorable people who capture your heart and soul. I geniunely cared for these people and more than once i was tearing up.

The story is very poetic, and very funny as well, humor breaks up the serious tones and it comes at perfect times. the journey is well thought out and descriptions are vivid and imaginative. Honestly, I can't believe I waited to long to read this book! If your the kind that likes a little thinking and some pretty good twists then you will enjoy the turns this book takes. I highly  recommend it to fantasy fans, fans of stories taken place in China or anyone who wants a well rounded book to read.

1 Comment:

  1. Racquel Jones said...
    Great review! I might just add this book to my TBR list. I love the cover and it sounds just as interesting. :)




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