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夭賴乇丞 丕賱孬賱噩 賵丕賱賲乇賵丨丞 丕賱爻乇賷丞
賮賷 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱鬲丕爻毓 毓卮乇 賮賷 丕賱氐賷賳 賵賮賷 廿丨丿賶 賲賯丕胤毓丕鬲 廿賯賱賷賲 "賴賳丕賳" 鬲乇鬲亘胤 賮鬲丕丞 丕爻賲賴丕 "夭賴乇丞 丕賱夭賳亘賯" 賮賷 爻賳 丕賱爻丕亘毓丞 丕賱睾囟 賲毓 乇賮賷賯丞 賱賴丕 賲賳 賳賮爻 丕賱毓賲乇 亘丕乇鬲亘丕胤 毓丕胤賮賷 賷丿賵賲 賲丿賶 丕賱丨賷丕丞. 賵鬲賯丿賲 丕賱乇賮賷賯丞貙 賵丕爻賲賴丕 "夭賴乇丞 丕賱孬賱噩"貙 賳賮爻賴丕 廿賱賶 "夭賴乇丞 丕賱夭賳亘賯" 亘廿乇爻丕賱賴丕 賲乇賵丨丞 丨乇賷乇賷丞 賰鬲亘鬲 毓賱賷賴丕 賯氐賷丿丞 亘賱睾丞 丕賱賭"賳賵卮賵"貙 賵賴賷 賱睾丞 賮乇賷丿丞 賲賳 賳賵毓賴丕 丕亘鬲賰乇鬲賴丕 丕賱賳爻丕亍 丕賱氐賷賳賷丕鬲 賱賷鬲賵丕氐賱賳 賲毓 亘毓囟賴賳 丕賱亘毓囟 爻乇丕賸 亘毓賷丿丕賸 毓賳 賴賷賲賳丞 丕賱乇噩丕賱. 賵賲毓 賲乇賵乇 丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲貙 鬲乇爻賱 責夭賴乇丞 丕賱夭賳亘賯" 賵"夭賴乇丞 丕賱孬賱噩" 賱亘毓囟賴丕 乇爻丕卅賱 毓賱賶 丕賱賲乇賵丨丞 賵鬲賵賱賮丕賳 賯氐氐丕賸 毓賱賶 丕賱賲賳丕丿賷賱 禺丕乇噩鬲賷賳 賲賳 毓夭賱鬲賴賲丕 賱鬲鬲卮丕乇賰丕 丌賲丕賱賴賲丕 賵兀丨賱丕賲賴賲丕 賵廿賳噩丕夭丕鬲賴賲丕. 賵鬲鬲丨賲賱丕賳 賲毓丕賸 賲毓丕賳丕丞 乇亘胤 丕賱賯丿賲賷賳 賵鬲鬲兀賲賱丕賳 賲毓丕賸 賮賷 夭賵丕噩賷賴賲丕 丕賱賲乇鬲亘賷賳 賵鬲鬲卮丕乇賰丕賳 丕賱賵丨丿丞 賵兀賮乇丕丨 丕賱兀賲賵賲丞 賵賲丌爻賷賴丕. 賮鬲噩丿丕賳 丕賱毓夭丕亍 賵賴賲丕 鬲賳賲賷丕賳 氐賱丞 鬲丨賷賷 乇賵丨賷賴賲丕. 賵賱賰賳 毓賳丿賲丕 賷賳卮兀 爻賵亍 鬲賮丕賴賲 亘賷賳賴賲丕 賷賴丿丿 賮噩兀丞 亘賴丿賲 氐丿丕賯鬲賴賲丕 丕賱毓賲賷賯丞.
391 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2005
6716 people are currently reading
218302 people want to read
About the author
Lisa See
28听books52.7k听followersLisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Lady Tan鈥檚 Circle of Women, The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Island of Sea Women, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American family鈥檚 settlement in Los Angeles. Her books have been published in 39 languages. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the History Maker鈥檚 Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women. You can learn more about her at . You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 20,546 reviews
May 16, 2011
I had high hopes for this book, but ended up feeling deflated and disappointed. Two aspects of the book were interesting: descriptions of the practice of Chinese footbinding, and an exploration of 'nu shu,' the written language Chinese women developed to communicate exclusively with each other.
Unfortunately, the book also has two major problems: a boring story, and the use of cheap gimmicks instead of complex characterization.
The story deals with two girls who are matched as 'old sames,' sort of a best-girlfriend relationship that is meant to last for life. Unfortunately, the story of their friendship is just not compelling, and I kept feeling like the author missed the opportunity to tell a really interesting story within the context of the world she creates.
Aside from being boring (the worst sin in fiction) I was also disappointed with the way she handled the intimacy of the friendship between the two women, using what I call the 'cheap and easy Hollywood method for showing intimacy.' In other words, she introduces sexual elements to show us just how 'close' these two women really are, rather than really taking us inside the complex world that is the relationship between two best girlfriends. I thought it was a really shallow treatment of a very deep subject. It was hugely disappointing.
I don't recommend it.
Unfortunately, the book also has two major problems: a boring story, and the use of cheap gimmicks instead of complex characterization.
The story deals with two girls who are matched as 'old sames,' sort of a best-girlfriend relationship that is meant to last for life. Unfortunately, the story of their friendship is just not compelling, and I kept feeling like the author missed the opportunity to tell a really interesting story within the context of the world she creates.
Aside from being boring (the worst sin in fiction) I was also disappointed with the way she handled the intimacy of the friendship between the two women, using what I call the 'cheap and easy Hollywood method for showing intimacy.' In other words, she introduces sexual elements to show us just how 'close' these two women really are, rather than really taking us inside the complex world that is the relationship between two best girlfriends. I thought it was a really shallow treatment of a very deep subject. It was hugely disappointing.
I don't recommend it.
July 13, 2023
My grandmother used to say that my big feet meant I had a 鈥済ood foundation.鈥� I鈥檇 stare longingly at her size-six feet when she said this and curse my genetic inheritance from elsewhere in the family tree. Then I had an ex-boyfriend make the infuriating statement that rich women have small feet.
My teenage-self took a lot of comfort in the fact that foot size is pre-ordained and unchangeable. Clown-sized feet can strike the smart, the rich, the beautiful. And there isn鈥檛 a damned thing they or I could do about it.
Then I read this book and learn it is possible to change your foot size. It鈥檚 called foot binding.
And you know what? I鈥檒l pass. I enjoy being able to wiggle my toes and jump around. So, thank you, Lisa See! For once in my life, I am content with my big feet. And I owe it all to your graphic descriptions of this ancient Chinese method. Blood, putrefaction, pain, breaking bones, risk of death! I cannot believe those women were subjected to such brutal mutilation for the sake of beauty. Then they were still expected to clean the house perched on those tiny, unstable feet.
The foot binding portion of the book was the highlight for me. The inspiration for the book was nu shu, a written language developed by Chinese women and kept secret from men for hundreds of years. I didn鈥檛 find that part of the story nearly as engaging.
Beyond the foot biding event and nu shu device, this was really a story about a fulsome female friendship. Putting aside any problems with the plot, their emotions toward each other were complex and meaningful. There was hope and joy, but mostly there was pain.
During an event with Lisa last night, she spoke of how depressing writing can be. She doesn鈥檛 always wake up raring to write. Instead she may dread knowing she has to go to a dark, internal place to write about a character鈥檚 death or betrayal. Even worse, she may have to stay in that mindset for days or weeks until that section is completely written. I spend so much time glamorizing a writer鈥檚 lifestyle that I had not fully considered how emotionally draining it could be. I suspected the career engenders self-doubt. 鈥淲ill people like what I鈥檝e written?鈥� Yet, I had never thought about the struggle Lisa described to create and inhabit the internal emotional environment necessary to produce the actual words.
I commend Lisa for giving us a realistic look at the treatment of and expectations for women in that day and age. Women were isolated and undervalued. Their worth was determined solely by whether they could produce sons. But honestly, my main complaint about the book is how depressing it was. I kept waiting for some great act of heroism. Yet the women stuck to their traditional roles. The main character not only repeated the indoctrination, she believed it! 鈥淢y role in life is to obey, obey, obey.鈥� Sure, they rebelled in small ways, but always within the confines of their societal roles. I kept routing for one character to leave an abusive husband or, at very least, stand up to her oppressive mother-in-law.
Normally I am conflicted when authors deviate from historical facts in order to cater to a modern readership. This time, I think Lisa stayed so true to the setting that she turned me off. (And her heavy-handed foreshadowing didn鈥檛 help.) Life was hard for women back then. I get it. But does that make for an enjoyable read? Not really. And I think that was my problem.
I had the wrong expectations as I entered this book. It wasn't a sprawling historical epic, filled with exciting action, heart-fluttering romance, and distant voyages like . It was a largely quiet book about quiet life.
Lisa herself admitted she writes sad books. And when she started this book, no one thought it would be successful. China? Women? Gloom? No one will read that! Well, she proved them wrong. Lots of people read it. Heck, I read it.
And it鈥檚 worth reading. It made me appreciate the freedom women enjoy today, as well as the potential depth of female friendship. Not to mention, I鈥檓 looking down at my feet right now with new appreciation.
My teenage-self took a lot of comfort in the fact that foot size is pre-ordained and unchangeable. Clown-sized feet can strike the smart, the rich, the beautiful. And there isn鈥檛 a damned thing they or I could do about it.
Then I read this book and learn it is possible to change your foot size. It鈥檚 called foot binding.
And you know what? I鈥檒l pass. I enjoy being able to wiggle my toes and jump around. So, thank you, Lisa See! For once in my life, I am content with my big feet. And I owe it all to your graphic descriptions of this ancient Chinese method. Blood, putrefaction, pain, breaking bones, risk of death! I cannot believe those women were subjected to such brutal mutilation for the sake of beauty. Then they were still expected to clean the house perched on those tiny, unstable feet.
The foot binding portion of the book was the highlight for me. The inspiration for the book was nu shu, a written language developed by Chinese women and kept secret from men for hundreds of years. I didn鈥檛 find that part of the story nearly as engaging.
Beyond the foot biding event and nu shu device, this was really a story about a fulsome female friendship. Putting aside any problems with the plot, their emotions toward each other were complex and meaningful. There was hope and joy, but mostly there was pain.
During an event with Lisa last night, she spoke of how depressing writing can be. She doesn鈥檛 always wake up raring to write. Instead she may dread knowing she has to go to a dark, internal place to write about a character鈥檚 death or betrayal. Even worse, she may have to stay in that mindset for days or weeks until that section is completely written. I spend so much time glamorizing a writer鈥檚 lifestyle that I had not fully considered how emotionally draining it could be. I suspected the career engenders self-doubt. 鈥淲ill people like what I鈥檝e written?鈥� Yet, I had never thought about the struggle Lisa described to create and inhabit the internal emotional environment necessary to produce the actual words.
I commend Lisa for giving us a realistic look at the treatment of and expectations for women in that day and age. Women were isolated and undervalued. Their worth was determined solely by whether they could produce sons. But honestly, my main complaint about the book is how depressing it was. I kept waiting for some great act of heroism. Yet the women stuck to their traditional roles. The main character not only repeated the indoctrination, she believed it! 鈥淢y role in life is to obey, obey, obey.鈥� Sure, they rebelled in small ways, but always within the confines of their societal roles. I kept routing for one character to leave an abusive husband or, at very least, stand up to her oppressive mother-in-law.
Normally I am conflicted when authors deviate from historical facts in order to cater to a modern readership. This time, I think Lisa stayed so true to the setting that she turned me off. (And her heavy-handed foreshadowing didn鈥檛 help.) Life was hard for women back then. I get it. But does that make for an enjoyable read? Not really. And I think that was my problem.
I had the wrong expectations as I entered this book. It wasn't a sprawling historical epic, filled with exciting action, heart-fluttering romance, and distant voyages like . It was a largely quiet book about quiet life.
Lisa herself admitted she writes sad books. And when she started this book, no one thought it would be successful. China? Women? Gloom? No one will read that! Well, she proved them wrong. Lots of people read it. Heck, I read it.
And it鈥檚 worth reading. It made me appreciate the freedom women enjoy today, as well as the potential depth of female friendship. Not to mention, I鈥檓 looking down at my feet right now with new appreciation.
June 13, 2016
"For my entire life I longed for love. I knew it was not right for me 鈥� as a girl and later as a woman 鈥� to want or expect it, but I did, and this unjustified desire has been at the root of every problem I have experienced in my life."
What a sad yet beautiful book this was! I adore historical fiction that can really immerse me in another time and place and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan did just that. Transported back to 19th century China, I believe I arrived at a better understanding of a woman's position in this society. I learned what it was like to be a daughter, a sister, a wife and a daughter-in-law. I am admittedly grateful for not ever having to experience these often overwhelmingly harsh relationships in the way that these women did! Not for an instant can I imagine having to yearn for my mother's love with the feeling that it was something impossible to attain. And, I most certainly could not fathom bending to my mother-in-law's every command and needing to act as a lowly "visitor" in her home even as the wife of her own son. The cultural practice of footbinding was truly horrific and cringeworthy. If you, like me, decide to google any images, please consider yourself forewarned that it really does look as awful and disfiguring as you would no doubt imagine. Yet, a young girl's future and her marriageability depended heavily on the result of this archaic practice.
The one relationship that I found endearing and one that transcends both time and culture is that of a true friendship. This is so beautifully demonstrated in the bond between the narrator, Lily, and Snow Flower, her "old same". Lisa See really brings to life the nuances of their lifelong friendship which began as little girls with a contract sealing their fates in a laotong relationship. "A laotong match is as significant as a good marriage鈥� A laotong relationship is made by choice for the purpose of emotional companionship and eternal fidelity. A marriage is not made by choice and has only one purpose 鈥� to have sons." We see the girls grow up together and experience the joys of childhood friendship 鈥� laughing, dreaming, and mourning together. The women's secret form of writing, or nu shu, begins with the communication between the little girls on the folds of a special fan that will provide a chronicle of their extraordinary relationship throughout their lives. As married women, they experience both the happiness and the sorrow of giving birth and living under the heavy thumbs of their husbands and mothers-in-law in households that scorn rather than cherish them. And, as with some friendships, these women experience the differences in social standings within a community and suffer from misunderstandings and ultimate betrayal. Can a friendship really withstand anything?
This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in the culture of China during this period and those that enjoy reading about the various connections between women. If you've ever had a true friend, this book will truly speak to you and perhaps make you just a tad nostalgic about the carefree days when you could hope and giggle with your own "bestie". 飦�
What a sad yet beautiful book this was! I adore historical fiction that can really immerse me in another time and place and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan did just that. Transported back to 19th century China, I believe I arrived at a better understanding of a woman's position in this society. I learned what it was like to be a daughter, a sister, a wife and a daughter-in-law. I am admittedly grateful for not ever having to experience these often overwhelmingly harsh relationships in the way that these women did! Not for an instant can I imagine having to yearn for my mother's love with the feeling that it was something impossible to attain. And, I most certainly could not fathom bending to my mother-in-law's every command and needing to act as a lowly "visitor" in her home even as the wife of her own son. The cultural practice of footbinding was truly horrific and cringeworthy. If you, like me, decide to google any images, please consider yourself forewarned that it really does look as awful and disfiguring as you would no doubt imagine. Yet, a young girl's future and her marriageability depended heavily on the result of this archaic practice.
The one relationship that I found endearing and one that transcends both time and culture is that of a true friendship. This is so beautifully demonstrated in the bond between the narrator, Lily, and Snow Flower, her "old same". Lisa See really brings to life the nuances of their lifelong friendship which began as little girls with a contract sealing their fates in a laotong relationship. "A laotong match is as significant as a good marriage鈥� A laotong relationship is made by choice for the purpose of emotional companionship and eternal fidelity. A marriage is not made by choice and has only one purpose 鈥� to have sons." We see the girls grow up together and experience the joys of childhood friendship 鈥� laughing, dreaming, and mourning together. The women's secret form of writing, or nu shu, begins with the communication between the little girls on the folds of a special fan that will provide a chronicle of their extraordinary relationship throughout their lives. As married women, they experience both the happiness and the sorrow of giving birth and living under the heavy thumbs of their husbands and mothers-in-law in households that scorn rather than cherish them. And, as with some friendships, these women experience the differences in social standings within a community and suffer from misunderstandings and ultimate betrayal. Can a friendship really withstand anything?
This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in the culture of China during this period and those that enjoy reading about the various connections between women. If you've ever had a true friend, this book will truly speak to you and perhaps make you just a tad nostalgic about the carefree days when you could hope and giggle with your own "bestie". 飦�
December 25, 2022
one of the best things a historical fiction book can do is to teach the reader something new.
i may have learned a lot more about footbinding than i wanted to, but i was absolutely enthralled by the dynamics of small chinese villages and the role of women. i loved reading about the history of nu shu and how it facilitated relationships between women.
and even though there is some really fascinating content in this story, i couldnt help but feel disconnected from the two main characters. when lily and snow flower were children, they were radiant little balls of light. but as they got older, they flattened and became one-dimensional. ive read some of LSs more recent books and they have excellent characterisation, so im just going to chalk this one up to being one of her first books and just not being as strong of an author yet.
but this is still a book that offers a lot of learning opportunities, which is something that cant be dismissed.
鈫� 3.5 stars
i may have learned a lot more about footbinding than i wanted to, but i was absolutely enthralled by the dynamics of small chinese villages and the role of women. i loved reading about the history of nu shu and how it facilitated relationships between women.
and even though there is some really fascinating content in this story, i couldnt help but feel disconnected from the two main characters. when lily and snow flower were children, they were radiant little balls of light. but as they got older, they flattened and became one-dimensional. ive read some of LSs more recent books and they have excellent characterisation, so im just going to chalk this one up to being one of her first books and just not being as strong of an author yet.
but this is still a book that offers a lot of learning opportunities, which is something that cant be dismissed.
鈫� 3.5 stars
May 6, 2015
I tried to read it. It was so non-compelling, who were these little mice of women, what were they up to, why should I care? MAKE ME CARE. The plot didn't, the characters didn't and so I couldn't get past about page 50. My mind kept drifting off and by the time I was conscious of reading again I wouldn't know what had happened so I had to reread it again and again up unto the fourth rereading of the same pages. (Exactly the same experience I had with Rushdie's Satanic Verses). So I gave up.
I thought it was probably me and not the book, so I downloaded the film. Lord, was it bad or what? Exactly the same experience, it wasn't any more interesting. It's an experience I'm not going to have with the Satanic Verses though. I doubt there's a director (still) alive brave enough to make a film of that book.
I thought it was probably me and not the book, so I downloaded the film. Lord, was it bad or what? Exactly the same experience, it wasn't any more interesting. It's an experience I'm not going to have with the Satanic Verses though. I doubt there's a director (still) alive brave enough to make a film of that book.
July 29, 2020
A book is a magical thing, that lets you travel to far-away places without ever leaving your chair.
Quote by Katrina Mayer.
This week I have time travelled to nineteenth-century China, 1970s Texas, 1850s Louisiana and at the moment I am on a whistle stop tour with by and no 2 week isolation required when I return.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is my second novel by Lisa See having read a couple of years ago.
Set in Nineteenth Century China and is the story of Lily an 80 year old woman who at the age of seven is paired with a laotong 鈥渙ld same鈥� in an emotional match that will last a lifetime.
Her story is that of a secret world of writings that women shared and ancient Chinese customs of foot binding.
An emotional and fascinating read and you cant help get drawn into the characters lives. I love when a book educates as well as entertains a reader and this novel has a lot of detail on Chinese customs and culture which I really enjoyed.
A short book that really held my attention and another book for my real life book shelf.
This week I have time travelled to nineteenth-century China, 1970s Texas, 1850s Louisiana and at the moment I am on a whistle stop tour with by and no 2 week isolation required when I return.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is my second novel by Lisa See having read a couple of years ago.
Set in Nineteenth Century China and is the story of Lily an 80 year old woman who at the age of seven is paired with a laotong 鈥渙ld same鈥� in an emotional match that will last a lifetime.
Her story is that of a secret world of writings that women shared and ancient Chinese customs of foot binding.
An emotional and fascinating read and you cant help get drawn into the characters lives. I love when a book educates as well as entertains a reader and this novel has a lot of detail on Chinese customs and culture which I really enjoyed.
A short book that really held my attention and another book for my real life book shelf.
April 16, 2008
An Excellent Choice for Book Clubs
I had a hard time putting down this book and felt utterly transported to a village in the Hunan province in central south China during the early to mid-nineteenth century. The narrator, 80-year-old Lily, who refers to herself as one who has "yet to die," tells the story of her life. She has outlived her family members and relates the story of her formative years--and her relationship with another woman, Snow Flower. This well written tale is related with clarity, sentiment, and most poignantly, remorse. It's through remorse that the reader comes to know the true character of Lily, as she reflects upon a misunderstanding she had with her one true love.
Beyond the reflection of Lily's relationship with Snow Flower, a girl she meets at the age of six when they are introduced by the local matchmaker and tied by contract to forever be known as "laotongs," or "old sames," this story provides a lesson in Chinese history and culture. Many have heard of the tradition of feet binding, but through Lisa See's writing, one experiences the excruciating pain and the meaning behind a mother's duty to bind her "worthless" daughters' feet. It's all about marriage and, of course, sex. At once I went to the Internet to look for images of bound feet because I had a terribly hard time visualizing a foot only seven centimeters in length.
I enjoyed every minute of reading this story and I highly recommend it. I think it would make an excellent selection for book clubs, given the vast number of elements to spark topics of conversation: Chinese culture--past and present; Mother-daughter relationships; Foot-binding; Arranged marriage; Female relationships; Lesbian relationships (?); Chinese history; Chinese foods; Chinese geography, etc.
I had a hard time putting down this book and felt utterly transported to a village in the Hunan province in central south China during the early to mid-nineteenth century. The narrator, 80-year-old Lily, who refers to herself as one who has "yet to die," tells the story of her life. She has outlived her family members and relates the story of her formative years--and her relationship with another woman, Snow Flower. This well written tale is related with clarity, sentiment, and most poignantly, remorse. It's through remorse that the reader comes to know the true character of Lily, as she reflects upon a misunderstanding she had with her one true love.
Beyond the reflection of Lily's relationship with Snow Flower, a girl she meets at the age of six when they are introduced by the local matchmaker and tied by contract to forever be known as "laotongs," or "old sames," this story provides a lesson in Chinese history and culture. Many have heard of the tradition of feet binding, but through Lisa See's writing, one experiences the excruciating pain and the meaning behind a mother's duty to bind her "worthless" daughters' feet. It's all about marriage and, of course, sex. At once I went to the Internet to look for images of bound feet because I had a terribly hard time visualizing a foot only seven centimeters in length.
I enjoyed every minute of reading this story and I highly recommend it. I think it would make an excellent selection for book clubs, given the vast number of elements to spark topics of conversation: Chinese culture--past and present; Mother-daughter relationships; Foot-binding; Arranged marriage; Female relationships; Lesbian relationships (?); Chinese history; Chinese foods; Chinese geography, etc.
January 18, 2022
Me ha parecido una belleza de libro de principio a fin. Lleno de costumbres y detalles de la sociedad y de la vida de las mujeres chinas del siglo XIX y sobre la importancia del amor y amistad entre ellas.
Algo que me ha gustado mucho es c贸mo la autora trata de ponerse en su piel y entender su mentalidad que a veces choca frontalmente con la nuestra, pero lo consigue, y por eso entiendes tan bien a las protagonsitas y todas sus reacciones y decisiones.
He disfrutado mucho de la lectura, y quiz谩s porque sab铆a de antemano que iba a ser una historia dram谩tica, no la he sufrido tanto, porque a pesar de toda la crudeza, injusticia y dolor, hay espacio para la belleza y la ternura.
Algo que me ha gustado mucho es c贸mo la autora trata de ponerse en su piel y entender su mentalidad que a veces choca frontalmente con la nuestra, pero lo consigue, y por eso entiendes tan bien a las protagonsitas y todas sus reacciones y decisiones.
He disfrutado mucho de la lectura, y quiz谩s porque sab铆a de antemano que iba a ser una historia dram谩tica, no la he sufrido tanto, porque a pesar de toda la crudeza, injusticia y dolor, hay espacio para la belleza y la ternura.
October 8, 2020
I ended up enjoying this book because it was so beautifully written and it took me deep into a world so unlike my own; thank goodness for that! This story takes place in China鈥檚 Hunan Province in the 1800s and is more about the inner lives of the women than the men.
I had a complete misconception of what foot binding entailed. It鈥檚 completely different, and so much more brutal a practice than I ever could have imagined. There were also many examples given of what I consider other horrendous customs and beliefs. I鈥檝e always believed that tradition and culture that harms is not worth preserving and reading about these people鈥檚 lives was a painful experience. The story is fiction but well researched so I鈥檓 assuming there was much truth about how women led their lives in that time and place.
I was able to feel some empathy for the storywriter, because I could understand her longing to be loved and the difficulties she had in her upbringing that formed her personality, even though I sometimes had a hard time liking her and many of the characters. I was also irritated by so much of the book. I loathe stories where there鈥檚 a horrible miscommunication or misunderstanding that seems so unnecessary, and there鈥檚 an example of that here. Also, throughout the book, the narrator is writing the story of her life for another/others in her culture to read, yet the whole time I felt she was educating us in our time & places. So frequently the line 鈥渁s you know鈥� or 鈥渁s everyone knows鈥� is used to start a sentence, and I just kept thinking that if everyone knows it the narrator wouldn鈥檛 need to say it in that way. The narrator also most of the way through the book alludes to something she鈥檚 going to tell the reader and it got to the point where, instead of following along with the story, I just wanted to see what she was going to reveal.
I think that it鈥檚 worth it to read the paperback copy because of Lisa See鈥檚 notes at the end about the writing of this book,. Perhaps they were there in the hardcover version as well, but often additions such as this aren鈥檛 there at publication of the hardcover edition. Also, the paperback has some discussion questions at the end which might come in handy as I read this book for my book club.
The plot & characters did make me think about however women are regarded and what is considered beautiful in various cultures, including our own, can powerfully influence women鈥檚 lives. And they also highlight how our various expectations of ourselves and others imposed by our societies can influence human beings. It also made me think a lot about the corrosive power of unresolved anger and trauma.
I had a complete misconception of what foot binding entailed. It鈥檚 completely different, and so much more brutal a practice than I ever could have imagined. There were also many examples given of what I consider other horrendous customs and beliefs. I鈥檝e always believed that tradition and culture that harms is not worth preserving and reading about these people鈥檚 lives was a painful experience. The story is fiction but well researched so I鈥檓 assuming there was much truth about how women led their lives in that time and place.
I was able to feel some empathy for the storywriter, because I could understand her longing to be loved and the difficulties she had in her upbringing that formed her personality, even though I sometimes had a hard time liking her and many of the characters. I was also irritated by so much of the book. I loathe stories where there鈥檚 a horrible miscommunication or misunderstanding that seems so unnecessary, and there鈥檚 an example of that here. Also, throughout the book, the narrator is writing the story of her life for another/others in her culture to read, yet the whole time I felt she was educating us in our time & places. So frequently the line 鈥渁s you know鈥� or 鈥渁s everyone knows鈥� is used to start a sentence, and I just kept thinking that if everyone knows it the narrator wouldn鈥檛 need to say it in that way. The narrator also most of the way through the book alludes to something she鈥檚 going to tell the reader and it got to the point where, instead of following along with the story, I just wanted to see what she was going to reveal.
I think that it鈥檚 worth it to read the paperback copy because of Lisa See鈥檚 notes at the end about the writing of this book,. Perhaps they were there in the hardcover version as well, but often additions such as this aren鈥檛 there at publication of the hardcover edition. Also, the paperback has some discussion questions at the end which might come in handy as I read this book for my book club.
The plot & characters did make me think about however women are regarded and what is considered beautiful in various cultures, including our own, can powerfully influence women鈥檚 lives. And they also highlight how our various expectations of ourselves and others imposed by our societies can influence human beings. It also made me think a lot about the corrosive power of unresolved anger and trauma.
October 9, 2020
Read and reviewed in 2008. Review updated in 2020 - without rereading the book - to focus on "secret" languages.
This is a first person tale of a Chinese girl in mid the 19th century. It's a poignant story that quietly teaches a lot about the culture of the time and place: poverty, footbinding, marriage, and particularly sisterhood/laotong - a legalistic long-term exclusive "old-same" friendship with another girl.
Image: A secret fan, from the BBC article (link below).
I enjoyed more as it progressed and you see different sides to the main characters.
N菤sh奴 - the secret language of women
This book was my introduction to N菤sh奴, a script women used to support each other, especially in the early days after marriage.
I've occasionally read about N菤sh奴 since then, and again just now (October 2020) in a , and the somewhat romanticised it links to.
The apparent contradiction that annoyed me a dozen years ago (that an "illiterate" mother writes something for her grandmother's funeral only 15 pages later) is a mere misunderstanding: many of the women who learned N菤sh奴 were illiterate - in regular Chinese characters. But they were not - obviously - illiterate in N菤sh奴.
I think N菤sh奴 is even more aesthetically pleasing than normal Chinese calligraphy, and both articles are worth reading (click the links in the paragraph above).
Image: N菤sh奴, from the Language Log article (link above).
Other gendered languages?
Sociologists observe differences in the spoken, written, and body language of men and women (John Gray probably mentions it at exaggerated length in ). The difference is that it's a spectrum of the same language: men, women, and anyone in between are, to some extent, aware of these differences.
I do wonder how "secret" N菤sh奴 really was. I assume some men knew of its existence, and probably a few learned it. How much might that dilute its usefulness? I've wondered the same about the police's scheme: a discreet phrase customers can say to bar staff if they feel threatened. A nice idea, but it's widely advertised. Abusers will know of it.
There's irony in the fact that "Today, much of what we know about N眉shu is due to the work of male researcher" (BBC article).
This is a first person tale of a Chinese girl in mid the 19th century. It's a poignant story that quietly teaches a lot about the culture of the time and place: poverty, footbinding, marriage, and particularly sisterhood/laotong - a legalistic long-term exclusive "old-same" friendship with another girl.
Image: A secret fan, from the BBC article (link below).
I enjoyed more as it progressed and you see different sides to the main characters.
N菤sh奴 - the secret language of women
This book was my introduction to N菤sh奴, a script women used to support each other, especially in the early days after marriage.
I've occasionally read about N菤sh奴 since then, and again just now (October 2020) in a , and the somewhat romanticised it links to.
The apparent contradiction that annoyed me a dozen years ago (that an "illiterate" mother writes something for her grandmother's funeral only 15 pages later) is a mere misunderstanding: many of the women who learned N菤sh奴 were illiterate - in regular Chinese characters. But they were not - obviously - illiterate in N菤sh奴.
I think N菤sh奴 is even more aesthetically pleasing than normal Chinese calligraphy, and both articles are worth reading (click the links in the paragraph above).
Image: N菤sh奴, from the Language Log article (link above).
Other gendered languages?
Sociologists observe differences in the spoken, written, and body language of men and women (John Gray probably mentions it at exaggerated length in ). The difference is that it's a spectrum of the same language: men, women, and anyone in between are, to some extent, aware of these differences.
I do wonder how "secret" N菤sh奴 really was. I assume some men knew of its existence, and probably a few learned it. How much might that dilute its usefulness? I've wondered the same about the police's scheme: a discreet phrase customers can say to bar staff if they feel threatened. A nice idea, but it's widely advertised. Abusers will know of it.
There's irony in the fact that "Today, much of what we know about N眉shu is due to the work of male researcher" (BBC article).
May 10, 2020
Probablemente sea una de las historias de amor m谩s bonitas que he le铆do. Porque aunque el libro trata de muchas cosas, el tema principal es el amor entre Flor de Nieve y Lirio Blanco. Esta 煤ltima va a narrarnos las venturas y desventuras de su vida desde su m谩s tierna infancia hasta su vejez, pasando por todos los momentos clave de su vida.
A trav茅s de las palabras de Lirio Blanco, vamos a ir conociendo las tradiciones de la 茅poca, el pobre papel de la mujer en esa sociedad tan patriarcal y como jugaba con las pocas cartas que le ca铆an en la mano. La val铆a de la mujer se media en funci贸n a su capacidad de tener hijos. Y por supuesto, estos hijos deb铆an ser varones. Las mujeres que solo ten铆an hembras, eran desechadas r谩pidamente y tratadas como exclavas. La mujer deb铆a obedecer a su padre, una vez casada a su marido y cuando viuda a su hijo. Por eso me llam贸 especialmente la atenci贸n el dicho que no paraban de repetir "Obedece, obedece, obedece, y luego haz lo que quieras". Dentro de sus posibilidades, las mujeres luchaban contra la situaci贸n. Sobre todo el personaje de Flor de Nieve demuestra la lucha de la mujer que no se conforma. 隆Vaya pedazo de personaje!
Una de las cosas que m谩s me han gustado es el claro reflejo de como esas tradiciones tan arcaicas pasaban de generaci贸n en generaci贸n. Nuestra protagonista no entend铆a y recriminaba su trato por la sociedad y por su propia familia, por el simple hecho de ser mujer. Sin embargo, conforme iba creciendo, adoptaba ella misma esos roles y esas barbaridades como normales y las ejerc铆a con sus hijos y con ella misma. Si es el 煤nico modelo que ves desde peque帽a, es el 煤nico que sabes seguir.
Uno de los temas m谩s atractivos de la novela es el nu shu, el lenguaje secreto que las mujeres crearon muchos siglos atr谩s para comunicarse entre ellas. Para poder escapar del silencio y el aislamiento al que las somet铆an los hombres. Llevaba a帽os queriendo leer sobre el tema y este libro me ha despertado a煤n m谩s la curiosidad. Neceisto leer m谩s cositas sobre el nu shu.
El vendado de los pies es otro tema que llevaba mucho tiempo queriendo leer en profundidad, y he aprendido bastante. De hecho, es mucho m谩s reciente de lo que creemos, ya que aunque se prohibi贸 oficialmente a finales del sigo XIX, en entornos rurales se sigui贸 practicando hasta bien avanzado el siglo XX. Probablemente una de las pr谩cticas m谩s brutales que se han hecho contra la mujer con el 煤nico objetivo del disfrute masculino.
Y como ya he dicho, el tema de fondo siempre es la relaci贸n entre Flor de Nieve y Lirio Blanco. Ambas se conocen de ni帽as, cuando sus dos familias las unen como almas gemelas (o laotang), ya que comparten similitudes en su vida. Van a ir creciendo juntas, mientras va aumentado el amor que sienten la una por la otra. Incluso una vez casadas y con hijos, son la una para la otra. Una historia de amor preciosa. Un amor que no solo goza de lo f铆sico, sino de lo espiritual. Varias escenas de las que compart铆an las dos se van a quedar en mi memoria para siempre.
Todo lo bueno que me llegaba de esta novela era totalmente cierto. 隆Es una joya! Ahora solo me queda seguir leyendo a esta autora, que desde ya entra en ese selecto grupo de autores a los que adorar <3.
A trav茅s de las palabras de Lirio Blanco, vamos a ir conociendo las tradiciones de la 茅poca, el pobre papel de la mujer en esa sociedad tan patriarcal y como jugaba con las pocas cartas que le ca铆an en la mano. La val铆a de la mujer se media en funci贸n a su capacidad de tener hijos. Y por supuesto, estos hijos deb铆an ser varones. Las mujeres que solo ten铆an hembras, eran desechadas r谩pidamente y tratadas como exclavas. La mujer deb铆a obedecer a su padre, una vez casada a su marido y cuando viuda a su hijo. Por eso me llam贸 especialmente la atenci贸n el dicho que no paraban de repetir "Obedece, obedece, obedece, y luego haz lo que quieras". Dentro de sus posibilidades, las mujeres luchaban contra la situaci贸n. Sobre todo el personaje de Flor de Nieve demuestra la lucha de la mujer que no se conforma. 隆Vaya pedazo de personaje!
Una de las cosas que m谩s me han gustado es el claro reflejo de como esas tradiciones tan arcaicas pasaban de generaci贸n en generaci贸n. Nuestra protagonista no entend铆a y recriminaba su trato por la sociedad y por su propia familia, por el simple hecho de ser mujer. Sin embargo, conforme iba creciendo, adoptaba ella misma esos roles y esas barbaridades como normales y las ejerc铆a con sus hijos y con ella misma. Si es el 煤nico modelo que ves desde peque帽a, es el 煤nico que sabes seguir.
Uno de los temas m谩s atractivos de la novela es el nu shu, el lenguaje secreto que las mujeres crearon muchos siglos atr谩s para comunicarse entre ellas. Para poder escapar del silencio y el aislamiento al que las somet铆an los hombres. Llevaba a帽os queriendo leer sobre el tema y este libro me ha despertado a煤n m谩s la curiosidad. Neceisto leer m谩s cositas sobre el nu shu.
El vendado de los pies es otro tema que llevaba mucho tiempo queriendo leer en profundidad, y he aprendido bastante. De hecho, es mucho m谩s reciente de lo que creemos, ya que aunque se prohibi贸 oficialmente a finales del sigo XIX, en entornos rurales se sigui贸 practicando hasta bien avanzado el siglo XX. Probablemente una de las pr谩cticas m谩s brutales que se han hecho contra la mujer con el 煤nico objetivo del disfrute masculino.
Y como ya he dicho, el tema de fondo siempre es la relaci贸n entre Flor de Nieve y Lirio Blanco. Ambas se conocen de ni帽as, cuando sus dos familias las unen como almas gemelas (o laotang), ya que comparten similitudes en su vida. Van a ir creciendo juntas, mientras va aumentado el amor que sienten la una por la otra. Incluso una vez casadas y con hijos, son la una para la otra. Una historia de amor preciosa. Un amor que no solo goza de lo f铆sico, sino de lo espiritual. Varias escenas de las que compart铆an las dos se van a quedar en mi memoria para siempre.
Todo lo bueno que me llegaba de esta novela era totalmente cierto. 隆Es una joya! Ahora solo me queda seguir leyendo a esta autora, que desde ya entra en ese selecto grupo de autores a los que adorar <3.
January 18, 2015
This has got to be one of the most beautiful, yet heartbreaking books that I have ever read. The subject matter is horrific but the story is truly engaging.
The main storyline in this book is about the horrible patriarchal practise, foot-binding, that took place in China in the past. The graphic descriptions in this book are certain to turn anyone鈥檚 stomach. I would like to know who decided that 7 centimetre-long feet were 鈥渟exy.鈥� The obsession with feet truly perplexed me; how could young men know nothing about their future betrothed wives except what size their feet were? Obviously foot-binding was a practice to control women, which was a point I made to a feminist I was talking to when a man suddenly interrupted our conversation and accused us of waging a war against men!
Also, it鈥檚 so sad how culturally women were undervalued in Chinese society. They suffered so much abuse and, from a very young age, they were cultivated for marriage because, after all, all women were good for was for giving birth to sons. Everything they did was to prepare them for marriage yet when they eventually married their in-laws weren鈥檛 even satisfied and everyone was miserable. What鈥檚 the point? Excuse my sarcastic tone but I cannot wrap my head around how awful this part of Chinese history is. Instead of protecting women in society, women were made to feel worthless and their lives are also put into peril. It was truly heartbreaking.
Lisa See brilliantly captured the reality of Chinese life in the past. I also thought that part of the book about the laotang and sisterhood was lovely, as well as the parts about the secret writing, and the art of storytelling.
Definitely a great book but not one that I鈥檇 ever read again, it鈥檚 too distressing.
The main storyline in this book is about the horrible patriarchal practise, foot-binding, that took place in China in the past. The graphic descriptions in this book are certain to turn anyone鈥檚 stomach. I would like to know who decided that 7 centimetre-long feet were 鈥渟exy.鈥� The obsession with feet truly perplexed me; how could young men know nothing about their future betrothed wives except what size their feet were? Obviously foot-binding was a practice to control women, which was a point I made to a feminist I was talking to when a man suddenly interrupted our conversation and accused us of waging a war against men!
Also, it鈥檚 so sad how culturally women were undervalued in Chinese society. They suffered so much abuse and, from a very young age, they were cultivated for marriage because, after all, all women were good for was for giving birth to sons. Everything they did was to prepare them for marriage yet when they eventually married their in-laws weren鈥檛 even satisfied and everyone was miserable. What鈥檚 the point? Excuse my sarcastic tone but I cannot wrap my head around how awful this part of Chinese history is. Instead of protecting women in society, women were made to feel worthless and their lives are also put into peril. It was truly heartbreaking.
Lisa See brilliantly captured the reality of Chinese life in the past. I also thought that part of the book about the laotang and sisterhood was lovely, as well as the parts about the secret writing, and the art of storytelling.
Definitely a great book but not one that I鈥檇 ever read again, it鈥檚 too distressing.
abandoned
July 8, 2022I do not like it enough to finish
August 11, 2020
I actually wavered between giving this book a rating of 3 or 4 stars. This is not because Lisa See was unable to portray the life in this feudal Chinese society well, because much of this was vivid and interesting. The oppression of women, including the horrors of footbinding, isolation and servitude to men and one's in-laws were all clearly and often dismayingly illustrated.
One problem with this novel is how much better the tale could have been related if written in the third person, rather than the use of Lily as narrator. After learning throughout this book that she was a sensitive, caring, pledged lifelong friend; she becomes a cruel,selfish and judgemental harridan to Snow Flower. These very factors were so antithetical to what was supposed to have been developed between these two women and what they had always professed would be their relationship, that it was difficult to continue the reading with the same attitude of enjoyment and appreciation. I often found that See did not work hard enough to develop either her plot lines or her characters. She often glossed over some segments, seemingly in order to reach her next period of time.
Despite these criticisms, I found this book often compelling with a level of anticipation for the reader.
One problem with this novel is how much better the tale could have been related if written in the third person, rather than the use of Lily as narrator. After learning throughout this book that she was a sensitive, caring, pledged lifelong friend; she becomes a cruel,selfish and judgemental harridan to Snow Flower. These very factors were so antithetical to what was supposed to have been developed between these two women and what they had always professed would be their relationship, that it was difficult to continue the reading with the same attitude of enjoyment and appreciation. I often found that See did not work hard enough to develop either her plot lines or her characters. She often glossed over some segments, seemingly in order to reach her next period of time.
Despite these criticisms, I found this book often compelling with a level of anticipation for the reader.
February 1, 2021
2010 F.A.B. Bookclub pick # I.鉂わ笍. F.A.B.
While I found the historic aspects of the book fascinating, it was a fairly depressing read. I was holding onto hope that it would become uplifting at some point. There is no happiness in this book. I don't know if I'd recommend it to anyone. It wasn't bad, but It wasn't amazing either.
While I found the historic aspects of the book fascinating, it was a fairly depressing read. I was holding onto hope that it would become uplifting at some point. There is no happiness in this book. I don't know if I'd recommend it to anyone. It wasn't bad, but It wasn't amazing either.
December 14, 2013
Brilliant. A spectacular book.
I haven鈥檛 read anything this deeply affecting for quite a while {at least on the level of love and relationships}. I was hooked from the beginning. And the grace and depth of Lisa See鈥檚 storytelling had me contemplating about life and the deeds and the choices we make concerning our own lives, those that are made on our behalf and how all these affects those who we most cherish. Fate. Is it something nature, or us, or others, or some higher power design for us? Is it really predestined, as these girls were made to believe?
Ever since that first message that Snow Flower send little Lily, when they were just children, the stage was set for what was meant to be a lifetime of friendship. As events unfold, as life happens, an absolutely heartbreaking and unforgettable story is woven. It also reminded me of Adichie鈥檚 the danger of a single story 鈥� given that I recently read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, where I was first introduced to the Chinese practice of foot binding. From what I鈥檝e gathered from this book, it loosely equates to Female Genital Mutilation, which until recently has been widely practiced here in Africa. And what a cruel thing it is 鈥� girls so young stand the risk of actually dying in the process, like happened to Lily鈥檚 sister. Lisa, however, goes beyond this, which she has offered in an heartfelt detail, to other aspects of the Chinese culture 鈥� especially those that of concern to women.
Quite fascinating is the issue of nu shu, one of the central themes, which is described as the women鈥檚 secret writing. Under all that isolation and oppression that these women suffered, it is a wonderful thing that they invented a secret code/language/writting in which they could communicate in secret, offer and share comfort.
Lisa See鈥檚 narrative is beautiful, and from the writing itself you may discern a depth that arises not only from research and writing talent, but from the heart of a writer who knows the matters of the heart. From her鈥檚 to all others that will come across this wonderfully crafted, deeply felt work of fiction.
It is an amazing lesson on friendship too, and of course 鈥� that deep heart love.
I haven鈥檛 read anything this deeply affecting for quite a while {at least on the level of love and relationships}. I was hooked from the beginning. And the grace and depth of Lisa See鈥檚 storytelling had me contemplating about life and the deeds and the choices we make concerning our own lives, those that are made on our behalf and how all these affects those who we most cherish. Fate. Is it something nature, or us, or others, or some higher power design for us? Is it really predestined, as these girls were made to believe?
Ever since that first message that Snow Flower send little Lily, when they were just children, the stage was set for what was meant to be a lifetime of friendship. As events unfold, as life happens, an absolutely heartbreaking and unforgettable story is woven. It also reminded me of Adichie鈥檚 the danger of a single story 鈥� given that I recently read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, where I was first introduced to the Chinese practice of foot binding. From what I鈥檝e gathered from this book, it loosely equates to Female Genital Mutilation, which until recently has been widely practiced here in Africa. And what a cruel thing it is 鈥� girls so young stand the risk of actually dying in the process, like happened to Lily鈥檚 sister. Lisa, however, goes beyond this, which she has offered in an heartfelt detail, to other aspects of the Chinese culture 鈥� especially those that of concern to women.
Quite fascinating is the issue of nu shu, one of the central themes, which is described as the women鈥檚 secret writing. Under all that isolation and oppression that these women suffered, it is a wonderful thing that they invented a secret code/language/writting in which they could communicate in secret, offer and share comfort.
Lisa See鈥檚 narrative is beautiful, and from the writing itself you may discern a depth that arises not only from research and writing talent, but from the heart of a writer who knows the matters of the heart. From her鈥檚 to all others that will come across this wonderfully crafted, deeply felt work of fiction.
It is an amazing lesson on friendship too, and of course 鈥� that deep heart love.
June 14, 2007
Ever since reading Memoirs of a Geisha, I've been looking for a book that will let me relive that excitement. So I was hoping that Snow Flower and the Secret Fan would fit the bill for my craving for Asian drama :)
I would have to say that this book did not. I found it difficult to get invested in the characters who seemed somewhat flat to me. The narrator wasn't engaging enough to make me feel a connection to her. Really, the strength of the book in my opinion was the detail it spent in developing an understanding of the cultural issues surrounding Chinese women and the custom of footbinding. Which, of course, is horrible mutilation to a woman living in the 21st century Western world, but was the very epitome of beauty and sexual turn-on for 19th century Chinese. So I would say it gets an A+ for effectively fleshing out that cultural way of life, but probably just a "B-" for characters. I wanted to care more about them than I did, but when the book was over, I was more interested in Googling pictures of bound feet than mourning the loss of their friendship and the misunderstandings that undid the two main characters.
I would have to say that this book did not. I found it difficult to get invested in the characters who seemed somewhat flat to me. The narrator wasn't engaging enough to make me feel a connection to her. Really, the strength of the book in my opinion was the detail it spent in developing an understanding of the cultural issues surrounding Chinese women and the custom of footbinding. Which, of course, is horrible mutilation to a woman living in the 21st century Western world, but was the very epitome of beauty and sexual turn-on for 19th century Chinese. So I would say it gets an A+ for effectively fleshing out that cultural way of life, but probably just a "B-" for characters. I wanted to care more about them than I did, but when the book was over, I was more interested in Googling pictures of bound feet than mourning the loss of their friendship and the misunderstandings that undid the two main characters.
December 13, 2017
I really hate cultures that put the importance of one human being over another and particularly boys over girls (mine included). But, Lisa See did a great job in taking us into the hearts and souls of two women and the hardships and love that they lived, endured and suffered over their lifetime. There are many tigger warnings here, foot-binding, disrespectful treatment of women by men and by women and some very poverty stricken circumstances makes for very difficult reading. If you want a more thorough understanding or review of this book, I suggest you read one of the other 300 thousand reviews. I don't have any energy left after finishing this one. Sigh.
November 21, 2021
The story revolves around Lily and Snow Flower, two girls in rural China who - as seven-year-olds - become laogong, official lifelong best friends.
The girls have their feet bound on the same day (a horrifying practice in which a girl's feet are bound until the bones break and they can be contorted into a small shape), visit on occasion, and frequently write each other on a fan in a language called Nu Shu or women's writing - supposedly unreadable by men.
Nu Shu
As the girls grow up they marry, move to their husbands familial homes, have children, and face the many challenges of being a woman in 19th century China. Traditionally, women in China had no rights. Once their feet were bound girls were mostly confined to a 'woman's room' where they sewed and embroidered and so on, and - once married - were expected to obey their husbands and mothers-in-law and to produce sons.
In Chinese culture it seems wives jobs were to have sons, and this is almost all they were good for. The husbands, on the other hand, could apparently do whatever they liked - take concubines, beat their wives, discard their wives, etc.
Chinese man with concubines
From the first time they meet as children Lily and Snow Flower have a strong emotional bond. They share hopes and dreams and plan to be friends forever. Secrets in Snow Flower's life challenge the friendship but the girls' manage to get past this and maintain their bond.
Eventually Lily makes a fortunate marriage into an influential family with a decent husband while Snow Flower marries into a low family that treats her badly. Lily produces two strong sons while Snow Flower endures difficult pregnancies, miscarriages, and stillbirths - and when she finally has a son - he is a weakling who seems destined to die young. In time both women go on to produce more children, and when they have daughters, plan that the girls will also be laogong.
In China, a woman was expected to produce sons
Through it all - as Snow Flower's difficulties come to weigh heavily on her - Lily is constantly counseling her best friend to behave correctly, be a good wife, obey her husband, placate her mother-in-law, and continue to get pregnant. Events conspire to produce a crisis between the friends where their true feelings are dramatically exposed.
It was interesting to read about the Chinese traditions, lifestyles, and people of the time but the book is slow and meandering and the characters, though well-drawn, were not likable and hard to care about. In addition - for me - the description of how women were treated is hard to stomach. I was also reminded that the devaluation of women continues in China today - where female infants are often killed or discarded. This ensures that many men can't find women to marry. One might speculate that - with the one child policy - the Chinese government should have seen this coming.
For those interested in learning about 19th century China I'd recommend reading a non-fiction book and skipping this one.
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December 9, 2023
I was a skeptical reader, I have to admit. But despite my reservations, I got swept into the narrative. I really enjoyed how Lily was at a stage where she was reliable and truthful about her realizations. The many differences in culture, thought, and beliefs were portrayed in a respectful manner. It was their way of life, and they believed it to be the right way... however much we may cringe or feel frustrated... it is good to remember that an outsider can readily list the practices that we have, as equally absurd, cruel, or damaging.
July 18, 2013
When a girl, obey your father; when a wife, obey your husband; when a widow, obey your son.
At the age of seven, Lily has already found her laotong, a person with whom her friendship will last a lifetime. Though they are both born in the year of the horse, at first glance Snow Flower transcends anything and anyone Lily has ever known. The two girls write to each other in nu shu, the secret language of Chinese women, and their bond blossoms - together, they endure the painful practice of foot binding, the trials and tribulations of arranged marriages, and the joys and sorrows of motherhood. At the age of 80, Lily recounts their shared lives, including the tragic incident that may have tore them apart.
Many people praise two elements within Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: foot binding and nu shu. Foot binding disturbs me no matter how many times I read about it. Though it does reveal a lot about women within Chinese society and what they suffered through for status, I still had to take deep breaths and numb my mind with music when I read the scene where Lily and her sisters had their feet bound. Nu shu also adds a cultural component to the context of the story, and from the author's note in the back of the book I could tell Lisa See researched it extensively.
Because the narrative of the book entails Lily looking back on her entire life, the writing comes across as detached and clinical at times. While Lisa See still incorporates wonderful imagery whenever Lily manages to escape the women's chamber, her passive perspective provides us with an authentic view of women within China's social hierarchy. Yes, it really does suck to read about the abuses women suffered at the hands of those they held closest to them. But through Lily's experience we gain a greater fortitude against such behavior - and we learn that friendship can help us fight it.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan draws almost all of its strength from Lily and Snow Flower's friendship. If I were to discuss it in a book club setting, foot binding, nu shu, and the role of women in Chinese society would all serve as appetizers. The laotong relationship between Snow Flower and Lily would act as my meal. It encompasses endless emotions and ideas: love, shared sadness, bittersweet humor, longing, and my favorite, redemption. Lily's character in relation to Snow Flower and the actions they take because of each other amaze me. Within a minute I could relate their bond to affirmative action, the psychological rules of attraction, my own personal friendships, and much more.
Highly recommended for those in search of a quiet, poignant story. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is by no means a thriller, but it is profoundly touching, to say the very least.
*review cross-posted on my blog, .
At the age of seven, Lily has already found her laotong, a person with whom her friendship will last a lifetime. Though they are both born in the year of the horse, at first glance Snow Flower transcends anything and anyone Lily has ever known. The two girls write to each other in nu shu, the secret language of Chinese women, and their bond blossoms - together, they endure the painful practice of foot binding, the trials and tribulations of arranged marriages, and the joys and sorrows of motherhood. At the age of 80, Lily recounts their shared lives, including the tragic incident that may have tore them apart.
Many people praise two elements within Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: foot binding and nu shu. Foot binding disturbs me no matter how many times I read about it. Though it does reveal a lot about women within Chinese society and what they suffered through for status, I still had to take deep breaths and numb my mind with music when I read the scene where Lily and her sisters had their feet bound. Nu shu also adds a cultural component to the context of the story, and from the author's note in the back of the book I could tell Lisa See researched it extensively.
Because the narrative of the book entails Lily looking back on her entire life, the writing comes across as detached and clinical at times. While Lisa See still incorporates wonderful imagery whenever Lily manages to escape the women's chamber, her passive perspective provides us with an authentic view of women within China's social hierarchy. Yes, it really does suck to read about the abuses women suffered at the hands of those they held closest to them. But through Lily's experience we gain a greater fortitude against such behavior - and we learn that friendship can help us fight it.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan draws almost all of its strength from Lily and Snow Flower's friendship. If I were to discuss it in a book club setting, foot binding, nu shu, and the role of women in Chinese society would all serve as appetizers. The laotong relationship between Snow Flower and Lily would act as my meal. It encompasses endless emotions and ideas: love, shared sadness, bittersweet humor, longing, and my favorite, redemption. Lily's character in relation to Snow Flower and the actions they take because of each other amaze me. Within a minute I could relate their bond to affirmative action, the psychological rules of attraction, my own personal friendships, and much more.
Highly recommended for those in search of a quiet, poignant story. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is by no means a thriller, but it is profoundly touching, to say the very least.
*review cross-posted on my blog, .
December 16, 2024
I give this book a reluctant four because I really disliked the protagonist. Without giving out spoilers and speaking in broad strokes only, she rose in society and turned into a snot. She then abused her powers unfairly because she felt slighted without understanding what happened. Then she tries to make up for it, but the kind of pain she caused is not something I would personally forgive. But the storytelling was very, and hence, it is a reluctant 4.
February 2, 2019
Such a sad story.
Snow Flower and Lily are laotong. They are "old sames". Joined forever in a bond of sisterhood that runs deeper than blood since the time of their foot binding (7 years old). But life's hardships has no mercy for these two young women. and as women in China their life holds no value. Can their laotong bond withstand the tragedies that life throws at them?
This book was a glimpse into the lives of women in China before the 19th century. It was very interesting in many respects. The book had obviously been very well-researched before written down.
I have to say the one chapter that I absolutely did not like was the chapter where they explain in great detail the horror of the process of foot binding for young women in China. This chapter was so detailed and written in such a way that it became so real that it made me physically ill. Like I seriously wanted to throw up!
With all of the sorrow and pain that these two women endure there is lots in this book about the happiness and joy that life brings them as well. These were my favorite chapters. I especially loved the chapter that ended right before their first children were to be born. This was probably the peak of happiness in this book and was very well written.
It is more than sad what women had to endure in this time. To grow up believing that you are worthless unless you bear a son which you have no control over. And even then to be categorized as lower than a dog in the household... just disgusting. But it is a harsh reality that we all have to face in the fact that that is the way it was. We cannot erase history but rather we can learn from it as we move forward.
I have said it before and I will say it again, this book is very well written. The storyline as well thought-out, well-researched and very easy to follow. The characters are more than identifiable even with their (now) alien way of living to someone who lives in the western world. And as a woman reading this book I found myself wanting deep down to have a laotong of my very own 馃挒.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone but especially to women in order to get better perspective on their life and to enjoy a good story about the bonds of sisterhood.
Snow Flower and Lily are laotong. They are "old sames". Joined forever in a bond of sisterhood that runs deeper than blood since the time of their foot binding (7 years old). But life's hardships has no mercy for these two young women. and as women in China their life holds no value. Can their laotong bond withstand the tragedies that life throws at them?
This book was a glimpse into the lives of women in China before the 19th century. It was very interesting in many respects. The book had obviously been very well-researched before written down.
I have to say the one chapter that I absolutely did not like was the chapter where they explain in great detail the horror of the process of foot binding for young women in China. This chapter was so detailed and written in such a way that it became so real that it made me physically ill. Like I seriously wanted to throw up!
With all of the sorrow and pain that these two women endure there is lots in this book about the happiness and joy that life brings them as well. These were my favorite chapters. I especially loved the chapter that ended right before their first children were to be born. This was probably the peak of happiness in this book and was very well written.
It is more than sad what women had to endure in this time. To grow up believing that you are worthless unless you bear a son which you have no control over. And even then to be categorized as lower than a dog in the household... just disgusting. But it is a harsh reality that we all have to face in the fact that that is the way it was. We cannot erase history but rather we can learn from it as we move forward.
I have said it before and I will say it again, this book is very well written. The storyline as well thought-out, well-researched and very easy to follow. The characters are more than identifiable even with their (now) alien way of living to someone who lives in the western world. And as a woman reading this book I found myself wanting deep down to have a laotong of my very own 馃挒.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone but especially to women in order to get better perspective on their life and to enjoy a good story about the bonds of sisterhood.
March 20, 2008
My book club was more interested in talking about their trips to China than See's book. So I am happy for Good Reads. While I found the writing journalistic: that is competent, extremely well researched, fast paced, page-turning, I cannot truly say it was well written. No phrase or passage noteworthy for its beauty or addition to literature. I was fascinated, however, by the potential for beautiful prose but lists just don't do that for me. The publisher's missed an opportunity to replicate the secret fan from See's clues - would have been a bonus. The dynamics of the women's relationships were fascinating, reminiscent of The Joy Luck Club. I sorrowed at the footbound therefore dutybound therefore ironbound feminine mind. Why did See not correlate the inter-relationship between body, mind and spirit? The bound feet reflected the bounded mind, bound by the society, filtered by necessity through the mother-jailers also prisoners of the system. Still, I longed for Lily of the Golden Lilies to recognize that with her smart thinking she had the ability to lessen Snow Flower's burden, a bit of rice here, some smuggled cloth there, cash, quilts. I even thought Snow Flower could have been brought in as a concubine. Lots of juicy plot possibility there. And I wonder at the morality of the wealthy women who could cast out her beloved friend without a hearing. To publicly humiliate an already humiliated person who had everything to lose from the shunning while Lily had won only an egoist's victory. And lost the one who loved her most in the ego-frenzy. Conversation over tea, sitting in the innner room and sugar-crackled tofu would on the other hand not have served See's plot. Hard to read while the Chinese government was strong-arming Tibet. The mental foot binding continues - not only in China of course.
June 10, 2020
Set in China in the early to mid -19th century, this book tells of a deep friendship between two women, Lily and Snow Flower. Their relationship, known as a laotong, is intended to last a lifetime. It begins when they are children and is arranged by a matchmaker. The girls learn and communicate in a secret women鈥檚-only written language, nu shu, which differs significantly from men鈥檚 writing. Snow Flower and Lily inscribe messages on a fan and send it by courier to each other, similar to a pen pal, at major milestones in their lives. At age eighty, Lily is looking back on her life and recording their stories for a specific reason, which will eventually be revealed.
The book is a deep examination of Chinese culture of the era through the eyes of its women at a time when women were expected to be subservient to men and to produce sons. This story includes the horrors of foot-binding, which was seen as a sign of beauty 鈥� the ideal was seven centimeters. I had heard of foot-binding but had no idea of what it entailed. Other cultural aspects include social classes, official ceremonies, traditions, and storytelling.
This book is beautifully written and provides a sense of a real relationship between these women, filled with love, conflict, and heartbreak. As with the best historical fiction, it transports the reader to a time and place and feels authentic. I was able to picture the region in my mind鈥檚 eye through Lisa See鈥檚 detailed descriptions of the food, weather, clothing, and landscapes. I gained an appreciation for the arduous lives of the women of the time and what they endured. This one will stay in my memory for a long while.
The book is a deep examination of Chinese culture of the era through the eyes of its women at a time when women were expected to be subservient to men and to produce sons. This story includes the horrors of foot-binding, which was seen as a sign of beauty 鈥� the ideal was seven centimeters. I had heard of foot-binding but had no idea of what it entailed. Other cultural aspects include social classes, official ceremonies, traditions, and storytelling.
This book is beautifully written and provides a sense of a real relationship between these women, filled with love, conflict, and heartbreak. As with the best historical fiction, it transports the reader to a time and place and feels authentic. I was able to picture the region in my mind鈥檚 eye through Lisa See鈥檚 detailed descriptions of the food, weather, clothing, and landscapes. I gained an appreciation for the arduous lives of the women of the time and what they endured. This one will stay in my memory for a long while.
February 14, 2018
I LOVED
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan!
It was sad, yet fulfilling, true and honest, yet fictional. A truly moving story about the hardships of being a woman in nineteenth-century China. Yes, foot binding too. We'll get there. By the way, this is going to be
a buddy read review,
so get ready to read a lot of questions and answers! If you want to read the interview questions and answers, read them on my blog , as it is too long to put into a 欧宝娱乐 review.
In nineteenth century China, a girl from a poor family is paired into a lifelong female friendship match with a girl from a family of a higher social standing. So her life begins, and we learn about it through her own eyes, as she is growing up. Not only does Snow Flower and the Secret Fan extensively cover the woman's place and life in pre-modern China, but it's also a tale about sisterhood, trust and empathy, as well as just being a good human being, no matter what your circumstances are -- or failing to be one.
Read the full review .
You might like this book, if you liked these books:
I have quite an assortment of books for this one! First of all, naturally I'm going to recommend another novel of Lisa See's that tells about the traditions of a different minority of the Chinese people: . Meanwhile, if you are more into reading about courtesans, you might enjoy Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement , which is also a tale of hardship and involves some foot binding and other traditions, but in a completely different situation for the main character. I will even go as far as saying that Snow Flower and the Secret Fan has ties to The Handmaid's Tale , because it's about strong female relationships in a terribly restricting, even violent society for women. Brick Lane is also from a different cultural context, not China - however, it also deals with women's freedom and the woman's place in different cultures. And The Secrets of Jin-Shei is fantasy, and might have one or two cliches, but it's also the only (older!) book that I've read that uses nu shu as a part of the plot.
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In nineteenth century China, a girl from a poor family is paired into a lifelong female friendship match with a girl from a family of a higher social standing. So her life begins, and we learn about it through her own eyes, as she is growing up. Not only does Snow Flower and the Secret Fan extensively cover the woman's place and life in pre-modern China, but it's also a tale about sisterhood, trust and empathy, as well as just being a good human being, no matter what your circumstances are -- or failing to be one.
Read the full review .
You might like this book, if you liked these books:
I have quite an assortment of books for this one! First of all, naturally I'm going to recommend another novel of Lisa See's that tells about the traditions of a different minority of the Chinese people: . Meanwhile, if you are more into reading about courtesans, you might enjoy Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement , which is also a tale of hardship and involves some foot binding and other traditions, but in a completely different situation for the main character. I will even go as far as saying that Snow Flower and the Secret Fan has ties to The Handmaid's Tale , because it's about strong female relationships in a terribly restricting, even violent society for women. Brick Lane is also from a different cultural context, not China - however, it also deals with women's freedom and the woman's place in different cultures. And The Secrets of Jin-Shei is fantasy, and might have one or two cliches, but it's also the only (older!) book that I've read that uses nu shu as a part of the plot.
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May 19, 2016
噩賵賴乇 丕賱丕丿亘 丕賱丕爻賷賵賷 賷賮鬲丨 亘乇丕毓賲賴 賵賷賳卮乇 毓亘賯賴 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱 丕賱匕賷 丕賯賱 賲丕 賷賯賱 毓賳賴 丕賳賴 鬲丨賮丞 賮賳賷丞 賱賳 鬲鬲賰乇乇
賱胤丕賱賲丕 賰丕賳鬲 鬲毓丕賳賷 丕賱賳爻丕亍 賵賲丕鬲夭丕賱 賵爻賳夭丕賱 賳毓丕賳賷 丨鬲賶 賳賴丕賷丞 賴匕丕 丕賱賰賵賳 賵賱賰賳 賲毓丕賳丞 丕賱賳爻丕亍 賮賷 丕賱氐賷賳 賮鬲賱賰 丕賱丨賯亘丞 丕賱爻賵丕丿亍 賮丕賯鬲 賰賱 丕賱鬲賵賯毓丕鬲
賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲鬲丨丿孬 毓賳 毓丿賵 丕賱賲乇兀丞 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷...丕賱賲乇兀丞 丕賱丕禺乇賶....丕賱鬲賷 鬲賯亘賱 毓賱賷賴丕 丕賱賲賴丕賳丞 賵鬲氐毓丿 賮賵賯 賲毓丕賳丕鬲賴丕...賴匕賴 丕賱丕爻胤賵乇丞 丕賱乇賯賷賯丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲氐賮 賲毓丕賳丕丞 丕賱夭賵丕噩 丕賱鬲賯賱賷丿賷...賲毓丕賳賷 丕賱氐丿丕賯丞..賲乇賵乇丕 亘丿賴丕賱賷夭 囟賷賯丞 賵爻乇賷丞 賱賱賲噩鬲賲毓 賱賲 賳賰賳 賱賳爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賱賵氐賵賱 丕賱賷賴丕 丕賵 丕賱丕 賲毓丕賳賷賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賮 賰鬲丕亘 鬲丕乇賷禺
丨賷賳 鬲氐賷乇 賯丿賲 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賴賷 乇賲夭 噩賲丕賱賴丕! 賮鬲鬲賰爻乇 毓馗丕賲 丕賱賮鬲賷丕鬲 丕賱氐睾丕乇 賱丕賳賴賲 賷乇亘胤賵賳 丕賯丿丕賲賴賲 毓賳丿 丕賱賳賲賵 賮賯胤 賱賷爻鬲胤毓賳 鬲夭賵賷噩賴賳 賮賷賲丕 亘毓丿!
賳賲丕匕噩:
賱賲 丕賯乇兀 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賷 卮賷卅丕 賲孬賷乇丕 賱賱卮賮賯丞 賵丕賱爻禺乇賷丞 賵賱賰賳賴丕 乇賲夭 賱鬲賮丕賴丞 賲賯丕賷賷爻 丕賱噩賲丕賱 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賰亘賱 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賮賷 賰賱 丕賱毓氐賵乇!
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲丨賰賷 毓賳 毓噩賵夭 孬賲丕賳賷賳賷丞 毓丕卮鬲 賮賷 毓氐乇 賱丕 賷賲賰賳 賵氐賮賴 亘丕賱賰賱賲丕鬲...丕孬賯賱賴丕 丕賱賳丿賲 賮賷 賳賴丕賷丞 丨賷丕鬲賴丕 賮賰鬲亘鬲 亘賱睾丞 丕賱賳賵卮賵 丕賱賯丿賷賲丞 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 賱睾丞 賳爻丕卅賷丞 鬲賳賮爻 亘賴丕 丕賱賳爻丕亍 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱毓氐乇 毓賳 賲毓丕賳丕鬲賴賲 賲賳 賲噩鬲賲毓 丕賱乇噩丕賱 賮賷賲丕 亘賷賳賴賲...賱睾丞 爻乇賷丞 鬲爻噩賱 毓賱賶 丕賱賲乇丕賵丨 賵丕賱賵乇賯賷丕鬲 賵賴匕賴 賳賲丕匕噩 賲賳賴丕:
賰鬲亘鬲 夭賴乇丞 丕賱夭賳亘賯 毓賳 氐丿賷賯鬲賴丕 亘丕賱賯爻賲 夭賴乇丞 丕賱孬賱噩...丕賱亘卮乇賷丞 丕賱丕賯乇亘 賱賯賱亘賴丕 毓賱賶 丕賱丕胤賱丕賯...賰賷賮 賳賲鬲 氐丿丕賯鬲賴賲 賵賰賷賮 毓丕賳鬲丕 爻賵賷丕 賵賰賷賮 賰丕賳 丕賱夭賲賳 乇丨賲賷丕 賲毓 亘胤賱鬲賳丕 賵馗丕賱賲丕 賲毓 丕賱丕禺乇賶...賵賰賷賮 賰丕賳 賷爻賷乇 賳賴乇 丕賱丕丨夭丕賳 賲賳 丕賱丕賵賱賶 丕賱賶 丕賱丕禺乇賶 賱賷氐亘 賮賷 賯賱亘賷賴賲丕 鬲毓賱賯丕 賱丕 賮氐丕賲 賮賷賴 丕賳鬲賯賱 丕賱賶 丕賱丕亘賳丕亍 賵丕賱丕丨賮丕丿..
賲賳 禺賱丕賱賴 鬲氐賮 賲乇丕丨賱 丕賱賳囟噩...胤亘賯丕鬲 丕賱賲噩鬲賲毓 锟斤拷賰賷賮 鬲賳馗乇 賰賱 胤亘賯丞 丕賱賶 丕禺乇賶...賰賷賮 賰丕賳鬲 鬲鬲丨賰賲 丕賱禺丕胤亘丕鬲 亘丕賴賱 丕賱賮鬲賷丕鬲 賵亘賲氐賷乇 爻毓丕丿丞 賵鬲毓丕爻丞 丕賱賳爻丕亍 賵丕賱乇噩丕賱 毓賱賶 丨丿 爻賵丕亍...賰賷賮 賰丕賳 賷鬲賲 丕賱丕禺鬲賷丕乇 亘賳丕亍丕 毓賱賶 氐賮丕鬲 毓噩賷亘丞 噩丿丕..
丕乇賷丿 丕賳 丕卮賷乇 丕賱賶 丕賳 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 鬲丨賲賱 丕賳爻丕賳賷丞 賵賱丨馗丕鬲 丨賯賷賯賷丞 鬲賰賮賷 亘丨乇 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賰賱賴丕...亘賰賷鬲 賮賷賴丕 賰賲丕 賱賲 丕亘賰賷 賮賷 毓賲賱 丕丿亘賷...丕乇賷丿 丕賳 丕囟毓 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱 賮賷 毓賷賳 賰賱 丕賳爻丕賳 鬲爻賵賱 賱賴 賳賮爻賴 丕賳 賷賯賱賱 賲賳 賰鬲丕亘丕鬲 丕賱賳爻丕亍 賵賷賯賵賱 丕賳賴丕 賰鬲丕亘丕鬲 賯丕氐乇丞 丕賵 鬲丕賮賴丞...丕毓胤賳賷 丕爻賲 乇噩賱 賷爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賳 賷賰鬲亘 賲孬賱 賴匕賴 丕賱鬲丨賮丞 丕賱賮賳賷丞 賵賷賱賲爻 丕毓賲賯 賳賯胤丞 賮賷 賯賱亘賰 亘賴匕丕 丕賱卮賰賱 賵亘鬲賱賰 丕賱爻賱丕爻丞 賵丕賱亘爻丕胤丞
賮賴賷 鬲丨賰賷 丕亘卮毓 賰賵丕亘賷爻賰 亘卮賰賱 賷噩毓賱賰 鬲卮毓乇 丕賳 賴匕賴 賴賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵賱丕 賲賳丕氐 賲賳賴丕...亘丨乇賵賮 亘爻賷胤丞 鬲賳賯賱 賱賰 丕毓馗賲 丕賱禺亘乇丕鬲...丕爻賱賵亘 乇 丕賯賷 賲丐孬乇 亘丿賵賳 鬲賰賱賮 丕賵 賱賮 丕賵 丿賵乇丕賳...丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 爻鬲丨亘爻 丕賳賮丕爻賰 賵丕鬲丨丿賶 賲賳 賷爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賳 賷賯賮夭 爻胤乇丕 賵賴賵 賷賯乇兀 氐賮丨丕鬲賴丕
亘賱 丕鬲丨丿賶 丕賱賯丕乇卅 丕賳 賷賳鬲亘賴 丨鬲賶 丕賱賶 丕賱爻丕毓丞 賮賱賯丿 賮丕鬲鬲賳賷 毓丿丞 賲賵丕毓賷丿 毓賱賶 賲丿丕乇 丕賱丕賷丕賲 丕賱鬲賷 賯乇兀鬲 賮賷賴丕 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱
賵丕丿毓賵 丕賱噩賲賷毓 賱賲卮丕賴丿丞 丕賱賮賷賱賲 snow flower and the secret fan 丕賱賲兀禺賵匕 毓賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賮賴賵 丕賰孬乇 賲賳 乇丕卅毓
毓賲賱 賱丕 賷爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 賮賯胤 亘賱 賷爻鬲丨賯 丕賱鬲禺賱賷丿
賲賯鬲胤賮丕鬲 乇丕卅毓丞:
April 15, 2008
Have you ever wanted to know how it would have been if you would have lived in another time, like the Roaring Twenties, or ancient Egypt or Rome? Well the book Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, took me to 19th century China. I felt like I had lived with Lily and experience her hardships, like her foot binding. This book made me realize how lucky I am to have been born in the 20th century, and to the culture I was born in. Everything that Lily and Snow Flower experience makes this book one of the best books I have read in the past couple of years. There way of life, what was expected of them, having no choice in their future, it amazes me to know that similar situations still happen in 2008. Anyway, this book tells of the story of how two people can become one, and how human mistakes can change people鈥檚 lives. Lisa See brings to life a world that has long been gone, the landscape and food of 19th century China are reborn in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. The setting of the book, and the imagery all add to the emotional rollercoaster you experience in this book. You also get a first hand understanding of the culture Lily and Snow Flower grow up in. The only thing that these women were expected to do was learn to cook and clean, obey their mother, father and older brothers. They were also expected to marry, with a guy that the family thought would be proper. They were also expected to get their 鈥榝oot binding鈥� when they were six years old. They had no free will, and were not encouraged to think about anything other than caring for the home, children, and satisfying their husband. Lily and Snow Flower were lucky to be laotong, or 鈥渙ld same.鈥� Lily and Snow Flower also had the privilege to learn the language that had been made by women for women in Chain, a way to communicate with each other without the men knowing what was being said. The language was known as nu sh. Lily and Snow Flower are destined to be friends, but they become sister, and as we know sisters have fights, but for Lily her ignorance leads to her to become prideful. But if you wish to know more about the life of Lily and Snow Flower you must read this book, it will make you smile and cry, but it will give you a sample of the incredible life of women in 19th century China.
Read
October 20, 2008uuughughghghghg ugh ugh ugh.
i can't read about foot binding anymore. it literally makes me sick to my stomach. this is mostly due to a 15 minute video displayed twice every hour in a small missionary museum in new mexico.
the sole purpose of this museum, for reasons i still can't
explain, was to display unusual world practices encountered by missionaries around the globe, throughout history. my parents, wishing to enliven and culture my young and spongelike brain, (and also having nothing else to entertain me with as the entire state of new mexico is boring as all get out to drive through and so damn hot you can't even sit on the grass at the rest stops) set me free in this twisted little house for 2 hours when i was eight.
it was full of fun things, like pictures of kayan woman proudly displaying their neck rings, and the perfume pouches french royalty wore to ward off fleas and lice, and examples of poisoned darts that papa new guinea tribes used to hunt down white explorers in the 1700's... yay!
And it also had this little dark room, with cute little chairs just my size, and teensy little brocade shoes just outside the entrance. and everybody loves teensy shoes, people. do you blame me for being fascinated?
the guy in the video, however, scary. he was fat, balding, and holding a little model of a foot's skeleton just the size of my own. he used this to show how a woman's foot would be wrapped in anceint china, to press the ball of the foot towards the heel. and then he actually pressed. slowly. until the bones snapped and the ball and heel were touching.
and then someone in the production process must have decided this wasn't realistic enough, so they had this cute little asian-girl actress come out and demonstrate, through blurry lens shots and muted screams, what this procedure might have felt like. when they found me later i was hypnotized, sitting with my feet tucked under my butt clutching the toes of my tennis shoes.
now, like many of you goodreads devotees, i had an overactive imagination as a child. i spent a good deal of time after that experience imaging what i would do if i grew up in that time period. you know, how i would escape. because of course i had to escape. can you imagine what that would feel like? but people would find me! and hold me down! or the emperor would catch me and chop off my head! there was no escape! lots of girls would have to do it! or did it! augh! it must have been HORRIBLE for them! HORRIBLE! AUGHHH!
...consequently, i decided that to make myself feel better about the 50 majillion little asian girls a long time ago, i would just pretend that foot binding never happened. just, like, stick to american girl novels and the occasional "dear america" journal (medieval europe only though) till i was 12. or, you know, longer. and that's worked out pretty good for me, until this book.
ms. see does a pretty amazing job resurrecting all those horribly emphatic feelings. her characters are fleshed out so well that it's hard not to see and feel through them. and even though the story is beautiful, there's a lot of history in there to see and feel. This is not like "Sex and the Zhejiang Province", or those awesome soap operas out of Shanghai recently where everybody runs around an ancient chinese palace set waving fans and giggling and pouring tea and crying and having babies and being banished and what not.
Every main character in "Snow Flower" pretty much gets crapped upon continuously throughout their lives until they get too old to negotiate their way higher on the social food chain and just sit back and let their grandkids take care of them. Or you know, die. (NOT A SPOILER! Don't even try.)
which is basically awesome. definitely my kind of realistic, historical novel. i'm just warning everybody... don't wiki it. don't. you don't need to see the x-rays. because they're gonna stick with you, in tiny little grotesque foot nightmares. and you'll be stuck, for the rest of the book, pretending foot binding means everyone got to wear pretty tube socks in bright colors.
i can't read about foot binding anymore. it literally makes me sick to my stomach. this is mostly due to a 15 minute video displayed twice every hour in a small missionary museum in new mexico.
the sole purpose of this museum, for reasons i still can't
explain, was to display unusual world practices encountered by missionaries around the globe, throughout history. my parents, wishing to enliven and culture my young and spongelike brain, (and also having nothing else to entertain me with as the entire state of new mexico is boring as all get out to drive through and so damn hot you can't even sit on the grass at the rest stops) set me free in this twisted little house for 2 hours when i was eight.
it was full of fun things, like pictures of kayan woman proudly displaying their neck rings, and the perfume pouches french royalty wore to ward off fleas and lice, and examples of poisoned darts that papa new guinea tribes used to hunt down white explorers in the 1700's... yay!
And it also had this little dark room, with cute little chairs just my size, and teensy little brocade shoes just outside the entrance. and everybody loves teensy shoes, people. do you blame me for being fascinated?
the guy in the video, however, scary. he was fat, balding, and holding a little model of a foot's skeleton just the size of my own. he used this to show how a woman's foot would be wrapped in anceint china, to press the ball of the foot towards the heel. and then he actually pressed. slowly. until the bones snapped and the ball and heel were touching.
and then someone in the production process must have decided this wasn't realistic enough, so they had this cute little asian-girl actress come out and demonstrate, through blurry lens shots and muted screams, what this procedure might have felt like. when they found me later i was hypnotized, sitting with my feet tucked under my butt clutching the toes of my tennis shoes.
now, like many of you goodreads devotees, i had an overactive imagination as a child. i spent a good deal of time after that experience imaging what i would do if i grew up in that time period. you know, how i would escape. because of course i had to escape. can you imagine what that would feel like? but people would find me! and hold me down! or the emperor would catch me and chop off my head! there was no escape! lots of girls would have to do it! or did it! augh! it must have been HORRIBLE for them! HORRIBLE! AUGHHH!
...consequently, i decided that to make myself feel better about the 50 majillion little asian girls a long time ago, i would just pretend that foot binding never happened. just, like, stick to american girl novels and the occasional "dear america" journal (medieval europe only though) till i was 12. or, you know, longer. and that's worked out pretty good for me, until this book.
ms. see does a pretty amazing job resurrecting all those horribly emphatic feelings. her characters are fleshed out so well that it's hard not to see and feel through them. and even though the story is beautiful, there's a lot of history in there to see and feel. This is not like "Sex and the Zhejiang Province", or those awesome soap operas out of Shanghai recently where everybody runs around an ancient chinese palace set waving fans and giggling and pouring tea and crying and having babies and being banished and what not.
Every main character in "Snow Flower" pretty much gets crapped upon continuously throughout their lives until they get too old to negotiate their way higher on the social food chain and just sit back and let their grandkids take care of them. Or you know, die. (NOT A SPOILER! Don't even try.)
which is basically awesome. definitely my kind of realistic, historical novel. i'm just warning everybody... don't wiki it. don't. you don't need to see the x-rays. because they're gonna stick with you, in tiny little grotesque foot nightmares. and you'll be stuck, for the rest of the book, pretending foot binding means everyone got to wear pretty tube socks in bright colors.
October 29, 2008
My review from Amazon (back in the days before I discovered goodreads!) -- I read this several years ago, but felt compelled to start a literary argument with my sister when I heard she actually liked this book. ;)
"The Secret Life of Bees" meets "Women of the Silk"
I'm getting a little tired of the "female friendship" genre that seems to pervade contemporary literature these days. While there are some better-written examples of this category, many of them seem to be written with the agenda of extolling the virtues and possibilities of close female friendship, perhaps as an alternative to traditional romance novels. Often, I feel that these authors are so anxious to idealize the close bond between two women that they spend less time actually allowing this bond to develop in a convincing way. Their characters remain underdeveloped as well, leaving the reader with an overdone, unconvincing, and ultimately shallow story line.
This book is no exception. The writing is not bad, and the historical/cultural context lends some interest to what would otherwise be a truly boring novel. However, the characters were hollow and their friendship, and subsequent estrangement, left me cold. I was so unenamored that I found myself wondering at the authenticity of the historical setting -- how accepted were these ritualized female friendships, and did they really take precedence over the marital bond at times (e.g., a wife sharing a bed with her visiting sworn sister as opposed to her husband)? I don't claim to be an expert on this period of Chinese history, but it seemed inconsistent with the little I know of the inferior status of women at this time and place. Given the author's general agenda, I couldn't help but wonder how many of the contextual details she colored in order to serve her purpose. Perhaps this may be excused by poetic license, but if it had been a better book, I would probably not be engaging in this cynical line of thought. The really good historical novels I've read were so convincing that it did not occur to me to question their authenticity.
In the title of my review I mentioned two similar novels which, if crossed, would result in this story. Both of those novels fall into the category of overdone, agenda-driven female fiction. Perhaps this comes from an effort to appeal to the middle-aged female audience, who probably represents a large percentage of the contemporary fiction market.
"The Secret Life of Bees" meets "Women of the Silk"
I'm getting a little tired of the "female friendship" genre that seems to pervade contemporary literature these days. While there are some better-written examples of this category, many of them seem to be written with the agenda of extolling the virtues and possibilities of close female friendship, perhaps as an alternative to traditional romance novels. Often, I feel that these authors are so anxious to idealize the close bond between two women that they spend less time actually allowing this bond to develop in a convincing way. Their characters remain underdeveloped as well, leaving the reader with an overdone, unconvincing, and ultimately shallow story line.
This book is no exception. The writing is not bad, and the historical/cultural context lends some interest to what would otherwise be a truly boring novel. However, the characters were hollow and their friendship, and subsequent estrangement, left me cold. I was so unenamored that I found myself wondering at the authenticity of the historical setting -- how accepted were these ritualized female friendships, and did they really take precedence over the marital bond at times (e.g., a wife sharing a bed with her visiting sworn sister as opposed to her husband)? I don't claim to be an expert on this period of Chinese history, but it seemed inconsistent with the little I know of the inferior status of women at this time and place. Given the author's general agenda, I couldn't help but wonder how many of the contextual details she colored in order to serve her purpose. Perhaps this may be excused by poetic license, but if it had been a better book, I would probably not be engaging in this cynical line of thought. The really good historical novels I've read were so convincing that it did not occur to me to question their authenticity.
In the title of my review I mentioned two similar novels which, if crossed, would result in this story. Both of those novels fall into the category of overdone, agenda-driven female fiction. Perhaps this comes from an effort to appeal to the middle-aged female audience, who probably represents a large percentage of the contemporary fiction market.
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