Book · 2005 · Childbirth in fiction
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Why people recommend it
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See is a historical fiction novel that portrays the deep lifelong bond between two girls matched as laotong, sworn companion sisters, in nineteenth-century rural China. On an episode of The Book Review titled Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Black Silent Majority’, broadcast on July 18, 2024, guest John Williams discussed various listener recommendations centered around the theme of female friendship. Williams noted that two separate listeners, Lynn M. Kia and Rosemary Barry Britain, both named Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See as a standout book. Williams described the novel to listeners as a compelling story about two Chinese women living in a remote county during the nineteenth century. The narrative explores the rigid patriarchal customs of the era, including foot binding and the secret Nu Shu script developed by women to communicate away from male surveillance. The strong response from multiple readers highlighted on the podcast demonstrates the novel's capacity to transport audiences across cultures and centuries, illuminating the enduring strength of female companionship under extreme societal constraints.
Who recommended it
- John Williams Recommended
John Williams — 1 mention
“two people Lynn M Kia and rosemary Barry Britain both named sunflower and the secret fan by Lisa C which is a novel about um two Chinese women in 19th century uh a remote County in 19 century China”