Book summary

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.

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."