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    <user id="1378936">
    <name><![CDATA[Deb ]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Jaffrey, NH]]></location>        
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      <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Tue Sep 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Sep 15 16:22:58 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Sep 15 16:32:25 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I think this is the best book I've read this year!  I couldn't put it down.  Lisa See masterfully shares the story of Lily and Snow Flower, two &quot;same olds&quot; or laotongs who are contracted into a lifetime relationship when they are both seven.  It's hard to understand this relationship in our context; you could say it's the ultimate in BFF relationships, but that belittles the reality of the relationship.  Lily ultimately mourns the death of Snow Flower more than the death of her husband.    The story is set in Hunan China in the 1800's and traces the life stories of both girls from Lily's perspective as a very elderly woman.  The Confucian culture is portrayed in great detail as are many practices we consider barbaric --- footbinding in particular.  Although these traditions repel us, Lisa See manages to put them in the context of the time.  I've also read the author's book Shanghai Girls which also painted a detailed picture of a time and culture in a sympathetic, yet realistic way.  ]]></body>
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