description: In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, an “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s written a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on the fan and compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together they endure the agony of footbinding and reflect upon their arranged marriages, their loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace in their friendship, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their relationship suddenly threatens to tear apart.Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a captivating journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. Now in a deluxe paperback edition complete with an expanded Random House Reader’s Circle guide and an exclusive conversation between Lisa See and her mother, fellow writer Carolyn See, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel is, as the Seattle Times says, “a beautifully drawn portrait of female friendship and power.”
language: English
title: Snow Flower And The Secret Fan
titlecomplete: Snow Flower And The Secret Fan
characters: Lily, Snowflower
genres: Fiction, Asia, Book Club, Historical Fiction, Adult, Novels, Adult Fiction, Asian Literature, Historical, China
ratings_count: 367781
places: Hunan Province, China
awards: awardedAt: 1104566400000
name: California Book Award
category: Fiction (Silver), awardedAt: 1199174400000
name: Lincoln Award, awardedAt: 1104566400000
name: Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
category: Adult Fiction Honor
publisher: Isis Audio Books