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What Members Thought
This is really a sad book, but it's so interesting at the same time... I was fascinated with the 19th century time period and that it took place in China. I think, sadly, the author did an excellent job of creating what it would be like to be a woman back then. It breaks my heart the lack of worth and respect these women must have had to endure. The foot binding was awful to read about, yet I could not pull myself away from it and was fascinated by it. I had to google actual foot binding to get
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It is a story that is tragic, beautiful & haunting. I became so absorbed in it, that I felt as though I were a ghost watching it unfold before my eyes. The friendship between Lily & Snow Flower, which is the main focus of the book, is completely wrapped up in the traditional world of the women in China during the 1800's, which allows the author to really weave a story that is interesting, as well as culturally educational.
Lisa See's ability to use words to create a believable atmosphere is phen ...more
Lisa See's ability to use words to create a believable atmosphere is phen ...more
Whew...what a story! Felt like a memoir...was much better than Memoir's of a Geisha. I could just see and hear and feel what happened to these young girls and women. My heart broke for them and I wanted to tell them they didn't have to go along with 'tradition' yet there was nothing they really could have done. I'm happy that customs have changed since this happened. The secret writing of the women was a life saver for them. It would be really easy to imagine the worst of other's when life is so
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Lisa See came to our local bookstore and talked about the careful research she did for this book. Traveling to the most remote areas of China and talking with old women about their lives during this period. When women got judgmental about foot-binding, she reminded us that women have historically altered their bodies to be desirable to men. For example, botox, facelifts, liposuction, and the list goes on.
My sister-in-law loaned me this book and I found it compelling, then I passed it on to another friend who also couldn't put it down. When my Las Vegas friend visited last September, she started reading it and took it home with her. It's about friendship, foot-binding, status, Japanese culture, etc.
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Lily tells the story of her life. Her life growing up in rural China in the 19th century. Her story tells the role and traditions of women according to their class. Most importantly, her close friendship with Snow Flower and the secret language of women. The story also reveals the horrifying process of footbinding.
Great book, hard to put down.
Great book, hard to put down.
Holy crap. I loved this book. Friendship, pain, forgiveness, etc... You can't lose with the prose style. I thought it was an excellent love story about friendship. I highly recommend.
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I had heard about this book from a couple of people before I finally got around to reading it. Learning about a women's life in a different culture is always interesting to me. The amount of restraint that the women in the book have to exercise can be exhausting at times, but that is what made it so interesting. "Obey your father, obey your husband, obey your son"
There is a reason I was born an American girl at this time in history. ...more
There is a reason I was born an American girl at this time in history. ...more
I put this one on hold at the library. I just started and am hooked. Have to limit my time reading this or I could loose a whole day's worth of house work, tending children and other things.
I have now finished this book. It took me actually only a few day's to read it. I found it intresting to read. Had me wanting to look at the history of the time book took place. I would say that this is a good book. ...more
I have now finished this book. It took me actually only a few day's to read it. I found it intresting to read. Had me wanting to look at the history of the time book took place. I would say that this is a good book. ...more
This book is written so well. I couldn't help but finish it in no time at all. The book is a great step in historical fiction novels. It talks about foot binding and arrange marriages and other things that people in China had to deal with. It also talks about the secret language of women.
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A great book!! The story details a special friendship between two young chinese girls throughout their lives. The explanation of foot binding on young girls was a bit difficult to read. It's amazing that a society thought up that process and inflicted it on young girls.
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I absolutely adored this book, even if it took me over a year to get ound to reading it.
Jun 14, 2018
gratia
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Feb 04, 2010
Tattered Cover Book Store
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