Books like Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

Bound follows Xing Xing, a young girl living in a rigid, patriarchal Chinese society after her father’s death. Bound to a life of servitude under her stepmother’s harsh rule, she is expected to manage her half‑sister Wei Ping, who cannot walk due to footbinding—a painful but compulsory tradition for girls deemed suitable for marriage. In spite of her lowly status and the disdain of the name “Lazy One” given by her stepmother, Xing Xing finds solace in poetry, calligraphy, and tending a garden carp. Her quiet, content existence is threatened as the village’s annual festival approaches and her stepmother’s desperation to marry off Wei Ping intensifies. The looming arrival of a potential husband for Wei Ping, coupled with her stepmother’s greed and the imminent annual celebration, forces Xing Xing to confront the strict limits imposed on women and to decide whether to preserve her memories or chase a future of her own making. This novel explores themes of gender roles, inheritance, and the modern reinterpretation of the Cinderella myth, set against the backdrop of ancient Chinese customs and societal expectations.

First publish date: 2004