Snow Flower And the Secret Fan
by Lisa See
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Coded communications eloquently detail the (literally and figuratively) painful constrictions (such as foot-binding) and unexpected rewards of the traditions by which 19th-century Chinese country women conducted their lives. Lily, an elderly matriarch, looks back at her intimate friendship with Snow Flower, a relationship initiated when both were seven years old with a fan Snow Flower sent to Lily. Using a special women's language called "nu shu," the two pour out their innermost feelings to each another, deepening their connection throughout the years until a betrayal divides them.
Editions of Snow Flower And the Secret Fan
 |
ISBN |
Binding/Format Paperback |
Publisher Random House Inc |
Date 2006 |
Price $1.00 |
 Fair |
Publisher Notes
An evocative story of friendship set against the backdrop of a nineteenth-century China in which women suffered from foot binding, isolation, and illiteracy follows an elderly woman and her companion as they communicate their hopes, dreams, joys, and tragedies through a unique secret language.
Media Reviews
"A nuanced exploration of women's friendship and women's writing in a remote corner of Imperial China....A keenly imagined journey into the women's quarters."
First Line
I am what they call in our village "one who has not yet died"--a widow, eighty years old.
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