In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, an “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s written a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on the fan and compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together they endure the agony of footbinding and reflect upon their arranged marriages, their loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace in their friendship, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their relationship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a captivating journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. Now in a deluxe paperback edition complete with an expanded Random House Reader’s Circle guide and an exclusive conversation between Lisa See and her mother, fellow writer Carolyn See, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel is, as the Seattle Times says, “a beautifully drawn portrait of female friendship and power.”
A heartbreaking, yet fascinating look into a facet of Chinese culture that is, thankfully, in the past: footbinding. The characters come to life and are vividly captured by author Lisa See in such a way that makes you think that she may have been a fly on the wall.
You will agonize and celebrate the character's misfortunes and triumphs as if they were your own. Beware, this book is hard to put down!
This book has rich characters and beautiful language. The culture is richly described, although the foot binding is perhaps too much so. It is a very difficult passage to read.
This book contained some really heart breaking passages. The detailed descriptions of foot binding made me feel a bit nauseous. It is a really fascinating look into women's lives and relationships at that point in time in China. However, in the end, the book left me a bit unsatisfied. I was never able to connect on a deeper emotional level with the characters.
