I have no words right now... many tears, but no words.

Thank you Lisa See.

This is a powerful novel about deep friendship. At the age of 7 Lily and Snow Flower are paired together as "old sames" and learn to correspond with the secret writing of women, nu shu. Lily is now eighty and is writing about this friendship that begins early on in their foot binding process and endures for decades before there is a painful rift.

This is definitely the best I've read from Lisa See, and I'm glad I finally read it. Even better, I'm glad to have read it when I had an afternoon to devote to it, because I didn't want to leave off reading it more than I absolutely had to. The language, the life, the love these two had for each other in nineteenth century China, even as they spent most of their time apart, is hauntingly honest in it's telling, and moving.

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, the quiet voice.

تدور أحداث الرواية في القرن التاسع عشر في إحدى المقاطعات الصينية، حيث كانت تعامل الفتيات والنساء على أنه ينبغي عليهن أن يسرعن بإنجاب صبي.

فالمعتقد بأن الأبناء هم دعامة شخصية للمراة. فهم يمنحون المرأة هويتها بالإضافة للكرامة، و الحماية ، و القيمة الإقتصادية. و هم يشكلون الرابطة بين زوجها و أسلافه. و هذا هو الإنجاز الوحيد الذي لا يستطيع الرجل أن يحققه بدون مساعدة زوجته. فهي وحدها من تستطيع أن تضمن استمرار سلالة العائلة.



* اقرأ أل�� كتاب و ستتدفق كلماتك كالنهر.



* إن قيمة المرأة هي في فضيلتها و ليست في وجهها.

I just finished this book today. I can't recommend this book highly enough. I need to spend a day or two reflecting on the story to complete this review!

OK-Here is my review: This is a fascinating, well researched book about the lives of two girls who grew up in China in the 19th century during a time when women were not respected or cherished, and painful footbinding was part of their growing up years. The book is well researched and gives compelling insight into Chinese culture, including superstitions, values and beliefs during that time. The book gave a remarkable account of the childhoods and adulthoods of the two main characters, Lily and Snow Flower. You really need to read the book to capture the depth and complexities of their intimate and binding relationship. There were several surprises in this book that I wasn't prepared for at all and I won't go into detail about them. Maybe I didn't need to put a spoiler alert on for this review? I must say that one of the unexpected turns that took place was when Lily jumped to the wrong conclusion about a message she had from Snow Flower. OK, spoiler coming. Stop here if you don't want to know what happened. Lily mistook what Snow Flower said to her in a message. As a result, she was devestated, felt betrayed, and for her their friendship ended at that moment. Rather than engage in a dialog between her laotong, she emotionally shut herself off from the relationship. Snow Flower, who was unsure why Lily had cut her off, made attempts to communicate with her but, Lily felt too betrayed to respond or acknowlege these attempts. However, when Lily learned that Snow Flower was terminally ill, she went to be at her bedside and nurse her, never leaving her side. It was only after Snow Flower died that evidence turned up that Lily completely misinterpreted the devestating message from Snow Flower. So, Lily had to learn to deal with the guilt of the pain she caused Snow Flower with her painful rejection as well as the guilt she felt from a particular day when she verbally lashed out her angry feelings to Snow Flower saying words that she could never take back. The rest of the book, of course, is the story of how Lily goes on to honor her "old same" Snow Flower and make up her mistakes by embracing the future of grandchild so she would have a better future. This is my favorite book of all time! Highly recommended!

A tale given to melancholy whilst instilling hope, Lisa See shares an intimate understanding of two sworn women's sacred relationship and its passage, as they are moulded by life’s circumstance.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan taught me about myself, which in my opinion is the most treasured gift that storytelling can offer.

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 cómo 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 quizás porque sabía de antemano que iba a ser una historia dramática, no la he sufrido tanto, porque a pesar de toda la crudeza, injusticia y dolor, hay espacio para la belleza y la ternura.

Lectura bastante dura que nos muestra la vida de la mujeres en la china de hace ya algunos años, que nos ayuda a entender un poco más de esta cultura y nos muestra que la vida de las mujeres no ha sido fácil, independientemente de la época y lugar. Describe algunos pasajes de la vida de protagonista bastante duros, teniendo en cuenta que ésta adquiere cierta calidad de vida y estatus a lo largo de los años.

I'm so glad I finally read this book! We follow Lily from childhood to old age and learn so much about Yao women's culture in nineteenth century China. She is paired at a young age with a laotong, Snow Flower. This laotong relationship is one that should (and does) become more important and intimate than any other relationship in their lives. While their friendship is is incredibly strong and loving, at times it also is incredibly difficult due to deceit, miscommunication, and selfishness. A good portion of this book was very heart heavy for me.

However, I loved seeing all the ceremony and tradition that marked the lives of women at this time and place. Lisa See made the lives of these women come alive. I could hear the singing and see the nu shu writing. I was weeping along with the women as the girls went to their filial homes for the first time. I could feel the cold as they escaped the rebels by walking for miles and miles up the mountain.

Ultimately I decided this is a 4 star read for me. I really enjoyed it.

Terminé de leer El abanico de seda de Lisa See

Un libro que te absorbe de punta a punta, narrando la vida de Lirio Blanco una niña que sus bellos pies la llevan a ser de una campecina a una mujer respetable de una rica comunidad gracias a su matrimonio arreglado y a su laotang, su alma gemela.

La historia de amor y amistad desde niñas con Flor de Nieve hasta la adultez es hermosa, pero se va tornando dolorosa desde que se casan, de estar siempre juntas a separarse y descubrir muchas cosas que uno no se espera.

De por si es un libro que transmite dolor, pero uno no puede dejar de leer, desde que les quiebran los pies, la muerte siempre acechando por infecciones, enfermedades y accidentes; los giros que van de la mano de los imprevistos de la vida, y el dolor por la vida de adulto al irse a vivir con desconocidos.

Muchos capítulos los leí tapándome la boca, no podía más que horrorizarme con algunas cosas que pasan, llorar, lloré cuando había que llorar, sobre el final, que es igual de trágico que todo el libro.

Doloroso pero hermoso, te atrapa y no podes soltarlo, un libro que hay que leer.
Gracias Agustina por dármelo a conocer.

Wonderful book about 2 women and their lifetime friendship. Shows just how women can hurt each other. Why do we tend to do that. Lisa See shows this with understanding. LOVED this book.

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’s 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 ‘foot binding’ 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 “old same.” 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.