Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
I started this book and had difficulty putting it down. Set in 19th century China, this is the story of two women who live during the time when bound feet was the norm and women lived their lives in relative seclusion. From the publisher: "Illiterate and isolated, [women] were not expected to think, be creative, or have emotions. But in one remote county, women developed their own secret code, nu shu – "women's writing" – the only gender-based written language to have been found in the world." In this book, a young girl, Lily, tells of her life journey -- from being paired with Snow Flower as "old-sames" (an emotional match that lasts between two women for their entire life), boot-binding, arranged marriages, joys, motherhood, tragedies. They learn nu shu and other womanly arts -- sharing from each other's experiences. When apart, they paint letters on a special secret fan and embroidered messages on handkerchiefs. A misunderstanding about a message on the secret fan estranges them for years. A great story of friendship. This is a MUST READ. It is also a great choice for a women's book club.For more information about the author, this title, and to see links for more information on foot binding or nu-shu, go to: http://www.lisasee.com/snowflower.htm
3 comments:
This book had caught my eye, but I didn't buy....will have to read it now!
Sounds cool!
My mother just finished reading it & she found it fascinating, though quite sad. My sister is beginning to read it. Plan to have our own impromptu book discussion group as soon as she's finished reading.
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