Snow Flower and the Secret Fan cover art

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

By: Lisa See
Narrated by: Janet Song
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About this listen

In 19th-century China, when wives and daughters were foot-bound and lived in almost total seclusion, the women in one remote Hunan county developed their own secret code for communication: nu shu (“women’s writing”). With the arrival of a silk fan on which Snow Flower has composed for Lily a poem of introduction in nu shu, their friendship is sealed. As the years pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages, 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 lifelong friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

©2005 Lisa See (P)2012 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Psychological Fiction Marriage Heartfelt Inspiring Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking China Friendship

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I have read (or listened to) almost all of Lisa See's novels now, and I found that this one stands out as perhaps her most ambitious work. The setting alone (Hunan, China in the 1800s) must have been quite research-heavy to draw up and navigate, but I feel like beyond that, the characters are perhaps more nuanced than they tend to be in other Lisa See novels. we still get the fairly broad strokes she likes to use, Chinese zodiac determining/being highly symbolic for a person's character etc, but she also allows her protagonist to be and act in a much more fundamentally misguided manner than she does in other works (where it's usually more about a fundamentally good person erring in a crucial situation). While I really did enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in China and/or women's rights, I'm not sure it would work as light entertainment or a holiday listen - here, China Dolls or Shanghai Girls may be more suitable.

A gripping tale from ancient China

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Book was ok couldn’t get my head round the number of times women were described as worthless.

I also didn’t like the accent of the narrator would have been good to have options that a user can select in terms of narration.

Won’t be reading this book again

Didn’t like the accent of the narrator

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Would you listen to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan again? Why?

This book is beautifully written and read. It very moving story about a friendship between two girls - Snow Flower and Lily - in early to mid 19th century China. But it is more than that - it immerses you in their world so that you see how little love these "worthless" women were given by their own families, by their husbands and mothers-in-law, you see how hard their lives were and how friendships between women could make their lives more bearable. You care about the characters and their lives, you become emotionally attached to these women, their children and their families. I suspect that each time you read this book, you will pick up on details you missed the previous time.I have added this book to my list of books to re-read, as it moved me very much and made me cry.

Who was your favorite character and why?

It's difficult to pick out a favourite character as I am still pondering over the book, the storyline, the characters and events. I loved Lily, Snow Flower and Madam Wang, but was also fascinated by other characters such as The Butcher.

Which character – as performed by Janet Song – was your favourite?

I really liked Janet Song's performance when she was reading the dialogue of Madam Wang - she really brought this character to life. Initially, I found Janet Song's reading style a little strange, but soon settled into the rhythms of her speech and by the end of the story I really enjoyed the way she read this story.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I wanted to savour the slow-pace of the story and the details of the characters' lives. But I also found the book hard to put down.

Any additional comments?

I have to confess that I cried at the end of this book. I cried for both Snow Flower and Lily, for the things they left unsaid and for their enduring love for each other. This is a beautiful book, and one that I will read again and again.

Incedibly moving story

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A story of a culture I knew nothing about. Interesting and made me want to know More.

A good story

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An interesting glimpse into the way Chinese Yao women used to live amid incredible restrictions on their lives. The ritual mutilation that was footbinding is described in detail (so this is not a book for the squeamish) and I found it incredible that the horror was willingly performed by women on their own daughters, and was perpetuated generation after generation, in much the same way as FGM still is today. While I enjoyed the story and the writing, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan did get me upset at the passivity of its protagonists. Lily is writing her story from a position of 'power' in her old age, but makes no attempt to improve the lives of the women to follow her. Instead, despite everything, she remains completely indoctrinated and only schemes to continue within the status quo. From my Western perspective, I found this hard to understand.

A very different world

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Would you listen to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan again? Why?

yes I would, I could imagine being there with the girls as they were growing up in their extremely narrow lives.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I didn't laugh or cry as much as wince when the author described in detail how the girls' feet were bound, and how this is crucial to the girls' and mothers' social standing.

Any additional comments?

A good listen. I looked forward to getting back into it each time I put it down.

Girls' have it so easy today!!

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The story was raw and true it made you feel as though you were going through the raw pain and emotions of these poor young girls as they endured pain and suffering to have beautiful small feet .

Captured me

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Any additional comments?

I had heard about foot binding, but I had no idea how brutal the practice was, and it is at the heart of this story about the friendship of 2 young girls from very different Chinese families, both with perfect 'golden lilies'. A truly fascinating tale, quite horrifying at times, desperately sad in places. I just wish I had opted to read it rather than listen to it. There are good reasons why the narrative voice might sound like an elderly woman who is tired of life and deeply depressed by the mistakes she has made in her long life, but it really doesn't make for a good listen.

fascinating insight into a different world

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A great story and narration about what it was like for women in China in the nineteenth century - a world and seeming centuries away from life in Britain today. I was transported and totally immersed in this alien and fascinating culture. An informative, deeply moving tale beautifully told.

Fascinating and Moving

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You know a book is good if you have become that emotionally invested in the characters that you start to cry at the end. An amazing story about the trails of a womens life and superbly read.

Made me cry

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