Reading report one: Bridge of Birds

-Abril del Rosario Canché Covarrubias.

Bridge of Birds

"A novel of an Ancient China that never was"

The title of the book I am reading is “Bridge of Birds”, a historical fantasy novel, written by Barry Hughart. I chose this tale because I like fantasy stories set in Ancient China, with powerful characters, and I think this one has all of that. The narrative is developed in a fantastical version of Imperial China.

The main character is Lu-Yu, best known as “Number Ten Ox”. The novel is narrated by him. He is a man who grew up with his aunt and uncle, and he describes himself as a “not so small” person. For what I have read so far, I can say he is very diligent and willing to do what is necessary to help his people.

Then we have Li Kao, also known as Master Li. He is a wise old man who was found by Lu-Yu in Peking. So far, the only thing I know is that he loves to drink wine, and it is said that he has a slight flaw in his character.

Lu-Yu is a man who lives in the picturesque village of Ku-fu. One of the many activities they practice there is sericulture, for what the villagers are always enthusiastically taking care of the silkworms. However, one day, the place is stricken by a plague which destroys the crops and affects severely the children between eight and thirteen years old. Then, Lu-Yu is sent to find someone who can cure the disease. After struggling a lot, he finds a drunken old man lying on the floor, but it turns out that this person is the wise scholar Li Kao. Number Ten Ox asks him to go with him to the village of Ku-fu to help him cure the children, and Master Li accepts.

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