Lisa See transports you back in time to a wonderfully haunting story of two women caught within the treacherous times of 19th century China.
You will learn that women during this time period in old China lived with so much hopelessness, desperation and seclusion that you may find it hard to breathe while reading.
The story begins with the main character Lily as an old woman telling us about her life as she remembers it. From the very beginning she admits to her faults and her regrets in life, mostly focused towards her best friend Snow Flower. She refers to Snow Flower as her Laotong, meaning “old same”. These relationships were often times more powerful and cohesive than even a marriage since more often than not, women could only rely on other women for love and support.
You come to learn that both Lily and Snow Flower suffer terrible loss and tragedies throughout their lives, but that each would find brief moments of happiness and solace within each other as Laotongs. Their friendship, solidified for life as they entered the tortuous process of foot binding at the tender age of seven. They grew inseparable as they sought out each through this delicate period in their lives where death was just a knock away. They would from then on look to no one else but themselves to carry them through the rest of their lives.
As it is with Lily and Snow Flower, women of this time only had their closest friends for support. To avoid punishment by their husband and husbands' family they would often communicate their true feelings by using a secret and ancient form of writing called Nushu. They would find creative and imaginative ways to pass messages to each other such as within the folds of a fan. Desperate to communicate with each other, Nushu managed to be kept secret from men for a thousand years.
What is so unique about this book is that even if you have no previous knowledge on any of the subject matter, the author gives you enough historical information for you learn and follow along in the story. The unknown details she leaves out are intriguing enough to inspire you to learn more about these elusive facts. When I first started reading I described the book to friends as a bit monotone. I know it is a strange way to describe a book especially when you are the one reading it. There was no joy or happiness to be found in the beginning and the story was so incredibly sad that it became a bit overwhelming to think that women actually lived in this way. The story really picked up tempo for me once Snow Flower became a constant character within the story. More joy and happiness abounded from their Laotong relationship that it lightened the mood some while I read.
The story is without a doubt beautifully told and will stay with you for a long time.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, especially to someone who appreciates historical fiction.
Book Synopsis and Sample Chapters - Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Read Sample Chapter - Prologue
Read Sample Chapter - Chapter One
Book Synopsis: A language kept a secret for a thousand years forms the backdrop for an unforgettable novel of two Chinese women whose friendship and love sustains them through their lives.
This absorbing novel takes place in 19th century China when girls had their feet bound, then spent the rest of their lives in seclusion with only a single window from which to see. Illiterate and isolated, they 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. Some girls were paired as "old-sames" in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their windows to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.
An old woman tells of her relationship with her "old-same," their arranged marriages, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood—until a terrible misunderstanding written on their secret fan threatens to tear them apart. With the detail and emotional resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha , Snow Flower and the Secret Fan delves into one of the most mysterious and treasured relationships of all time—female friendship.
About the Author - Lisa See
If you are interested in learning more about the author you can click on her website Lisa See.
Before writing Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See traveled to a remote area of China to research the secret Nushu writing. This secret writing was invented, used, and kept a secret by women for over a thousand years. Other historical information that you will learn from this book are the ancient customs of foot binding and the special relationship women had with other women called LaoTong.
I found this informational video on YouTube that explains in great detail the process and aftermath of foot binding. It is incredibly descriptive and graphic and is not for the faint at heart! So please keep this in mind if you decide to watch this video. It is sickening to think that there were so many young girls (as young as 4 to age 7) who were forced to endure this torture, all in the name of beauty and status.
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