Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a fascinating story of women's friendships in nineteenth century rural China. Lily, the narrator of the novel is in her eighties, looking back on her life. The story follows the everyday lives of Lily and Snow-Flow, from age 7 into womanhood as they learn "nu-shu" (the secret writing of Chinese women), share their secret dreams, and confront the day to day challenges of being a wife, mother, and daughter-in-law in a culture where women are prized not for their intellect or talents, but for the size of their feet.
This book also examines the suffering which Lily and Snow Flower experience in their laotong relationship (laotong = a liaison made by choice for the purpose of emotional companionship and eternal fidelity) - as seen through the graphic descriptions of foot binding, and the hardships endured during the Taiping rebellion.
Ultimately, the story makes you question how much of a person's life is guided by tradition, fate, and the expectations of others, and how much by freewill and choice.
This book also examines the suffering which Lily and Snow Flower experience in their laotong relationship (laotong = a liaison made by choice for the purpose of emotional companionship and eternal fidelity) - as seen through the graphic descriptions of foot binding, and the hardships endured during the Taiping rebellion.
Ultimately, the story makes you question how much of a person's life is guided by tradition, fate, and the expectations of others, and how much by freewill and choice.
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