Sue's review of 'Snowflower and the Secret Fan' by Lisa See

In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, or "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 has 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 fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. They both endure the agony of footbinding and together reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.


 Lisa See Website

I have had this book since Jeannie sent me a copy of it in ummmm March 2011. It has sat on my table next to where I sit and read since then. I have started it 3 times and finally decided I was going to just read it all the way through.

Now, do not get me wrong, this is a VERY good book. I was reluctant to read it all the way through because my niece (who BEGGED me to read this) spilled one little thing to me about it.


First off, this is a beautiful story of friendship. It is a historical fiction book detailing the lives of 2 women that are bound together from childhood by a conniving match maker.
You must know that in this story there are things that will make your cringe as you learn about this culture. Not only are the women treated as nothing more than a means to an end, they are physically tortured in the name of beauty and perfection. Not unusual even in our society (I'm thinking waxing, crash diets, underwire bras) The extent these families would go to could kill their daughter or leave her lame. The mother in the book tells her daughter only in pain will you find beauty. 


Yes I am talking about the Asian practice of footbinding.

If a lady did not have small, dainty feet she was not considered beautiful and was left to be no more than a mule serving a household that could afford to feed her. Now we look at this as barbaric but that was the norm for this culture much like circumcision for males and women is normal in other cultures.


The story is not just about this practice but what comes from it. The bond between two young women and secret language they share their life stories in.


I cried when I read most of this book.
I felt deeply for every character. That, in itself, is a credit to the author. She makes you think not just about the situation these women find themselves in but she makes you think about how we as women treat each other even in our friendships.


Do you judge another woman harshly based on what you perceive as their life and how they deal with it? Are you envious or smug in the way you treat others?


This is a beautiful story if you can get past some of the cultural differences and understand how well they fit the time and place and see these characters doing the best they can with what they have. You will enjoy this book. It is a heartbreaking story of love many different kinds of love. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. There were several times in the 2 days I was reading this book that I had to set it aside and text my niece to yell at her and let the tears clear from eyes so I could see well enough to read. Yeah, Im a sap.

Sue's review of 'Snowflower and the Secret Fan' by Lisa See

Sue's review of These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner

Inspired by the author's original family memoirs, this absorbing story introduces us to the questing, indomitable Sarah Prine, one of the most memorable women ever to survive and prevail in the Arizona Territory of the late 1800s. As a child, a fiery young woman, and finally a caring mother, Sarah forges a life as full and fascinating as our deepest needs, our most secret hopes, and our grandest dreams. She rides Indian-style and shoots with deadly aim, greedily devours a treasure trove of leatherbound books, dreams of scarlet velvet and pearls, falls uneasily in love, and faces down fire, flood, Comanche raids, and other mortal perils with the unique courage that forged the character of the American West. This action-packed novel is also the story of a powerful, enduring love between Sarah and the dashing cavalry officer Captain Jack Elliot. Neither the vast distances traveled nor the harsh and killing terrains could quench the passion between them, and the loss and loneliness both suffer only strengthen their need for each other. While their love grows, the heartbreak and wonder of the frontier experience unfold in scene after scene: a wagon-train Sunday spent roasting quail on spits as Indians close in to attack; Sarah's silent encounter with an Indian brave, in which he shows her his way of respect; a dreadful discovery by a stream that changes Sarah forever; the hazards of a visit to Phoenix, a town as hot as the devil's frying pan; Sarah's joy in building a real home, sketching out rooms and wraparound porches. Sarah's story leads us into a vanished world that comes vividly to life again, while her struggles with work and home, love and responsibility resonate with those every woman faces today.

How is this for a change in roles? Jeannie recs you a fic and SUE recs a real book with pages and everything! Well that is what is happening today.


A while ago Autumn (you may know her from some of her book recs here) told me about this fabulous story called These Is My Words. The way she was describing it I knew I had to have it! Being the fabulous friend she is Autumn actually sent me a copy of it. I started it the day after it came in my mailbox and did not put it down except to sleep (at about 2am).


This is the story of Sarah Prine. It is a fictionalized version of the life of a real ancestor of the author.


We all have those relatives who live more in legend. Great great grandmothers and grandfathers that are bigger than real life. They live on in the family stories told about them around kitchen tables and at family gatherings. This is how our heroine comes to life. She is the product of a writing assignment given the author in a creative writing class.


Our story begins 1881 when Sarah is 17. Her father decides to move the family from their home to start a new horse ranch in a new territory. Travel then was treacherous and rarely did people make it out unscathed.


Our leading lady wants to be gentile and sweet like her mother and sister in law she does not realize that her strength is something all those around her rely on including the men in her life. What I love most about this book is it does not focus solely on the romance aspect of her story. A womans life is so much more than just what man she has in it.


This book is told in diary format. You see the daily frustrations of a girl and her struggles with her famil,y brothers - younger and older -  her feelings about her parents as well as her views of life on the trail.


This story follows 20 years of this womans life and by proxy it follows her family as well.


Now for the reasons why I think you should go immediately from this page to Amazon (or Barnes and Noble) to buy this book:
1) a leading female that is believable and likeable and realistic
2) a story set in the late 1800s with enough real events to entice the big history nerd in you
3) a leading male character that will make you swoon
4) adventure and angst for those that love pain
5) PLENTY of laughs and silly things for people like me that adore giggles


So there you have it, a lovely story to get lost in. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did don't forget to tell me what you think!

Sue's review of These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner