Retelling the story of one woman’s journey in search for her husband, who was brought to build the Great Wall, this story follows the hardships and challenges that Binu had to face as the result of her decision to go after her husband, Qiliang.

The story starts off with the story of how people who live in the areas around North Mountain have been forbidden to cry. Even babies and young children are taught to never shed tears from their eyes. But to cry is only natural, after all, and these people have since found some rather mysterious ways in which they could shed tears from other parts of their bodies, but their eyes and cheeks stay dry. Binu, is one such person living in one of the villages at the foot of North Mountain.

She decides to go to Great Swallow Mountain, even if it means to walk a thousand li to get there, when she finds out that her husband, Qiliang, was taken to build the Great Wall there. She makes up her mind to deliver winter clothing to Qiliang, as the weather is turning cold. But sorceresses tell her that she will die if she makes this journey.

As she embarks on her journey to seek her husband, she comes across a blind frog, reincarnated from a blind old woman who was looking for her son. She comes across deer-children next, children who have taken to prancing and skipping in the woods like deer, forgetting their roots and homes. She then becomes the bride to a dead thief, escaping which only to come across far more bizarre events and characters. ( )

Binu's husband has been taken as one of the local men to build the Great Wall of China. They were quite poor despite Binu's good looks. Binu loves her husband Wan Qiliang and when the wether starts to turn cold she worries he will need his winter coat. So she sets out on a journey by foot from her home Peach Villiage to travel to find him across Great Swallow Mountain and give him his coat. With her travels a blind frog that was once a blind woman looking for her lost son.

The journey is long and hard with many interesting adventures along the way. Binu is set upon by many sleezy men as she is a woman travelling alone. No one in North Moutain can cry naturally through their eyes and the woman have learnt to cry through various other body parts for example their hair, feet, breasts and ears. This "skill" saves Binu as well as putting her in more danger on many occassions on her journey.

A blend of mythology, folklore and fairy tale, this tale would be ideal for anyone who loves these themes or enjoyed Sky Burial by Xinran. I really loved this tale, it really captured my imagination and the language was beautiful. I really felt for Binu on her amazing journey of devotion for her husband. No one seemed to understand her love for Wan Qiliang which is a shame. Oh and don't expect a traditional fairy tale "and they lived happily ever after" ending... ( )

After reading The Penelopiad, I immediately put all the rest of the Canongate myths series on my wishlist. Sadly, a couple of books later, I realise that The Penelopiad was great because it was written by Margaret Atwood, not because it was a reimagining of a myth.

The Penelopiad took the story and added psychological realism, and an authentic voice (sure, it had modern sensibilities, but since it's a myth, why not?). The next one I read, Lion's Honey, had a bit too much psychological detail - it read like the process of coming up with the backstory, rather than the story itself. Binu and the Great Wall adds detail and context to the myth - but not much in the way of insight.

Instead, there's an element of political allegory - everyone Binu meets has mutilated themselves in one way or another as a result of the tyranny they live under, and they mock Binu because her own resistance shows them up. (Her husband, like all the other men, has been taken away to build the Great Wall, and she sets out to look for him). In most places, it is forbidden to cry, so Binu's tears shake up the places that she passes. But pretty soon it becomes very monotonous - bad things happen, Binu cries, after a short respite more bad things happen, Binu cries... ( )

An interesting book about an old chinese myth. Not quite what I expected but still enjoyable. ( )