Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I always say i don’t like historical fiction but this book will definitely stay with me for a long long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Misogyny
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Beautiful, heartbreaking and bittersweet. Lisa See’s writing is a joy to read and her characters have so much dimension.
This story of two elite Chinese families in the 16th century touched my heart deeply. While I loved this novel, I still found many parts of it very painful to read—especially the topics on foot binding, infant (and adult) deaths and illnesses.
It was almost a relief when I finished the book. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a tribute to women doctors and midwives of that era. But, if you are sensitive like I am, you might find it a difficult, emotional read.
I just cannot resist reading Lisa See’s exquisite novels about early Chinese families.
This story of two elite Chinese families in the 16th century touched my heart deeply. While I loved this novel, I still found many parts of it very painful to read—especially the topics on foot binding, infant (and adult) deaths and illnesses.
It was almost a relief when I finished the book. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a tribute to women doctors and midwives of that era. But, if you are sensitive like I am, you might find it a difficult, emotional read.
I just cannot resist reading Lisa See’s exquisite novels about early Chinese families.
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Classism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, War
I became fully absorbed in 15th century China and found the characters very well-rounded and easy to empathize with. Very well-written. A writing style that pulls you in to the world it creates.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I learned so much from this book. While it seemed like a lot of medicinal information, it was readable, not dense. Lady Tan grew from an eight year old to an old woman, sometimes able to practice medicine in the open, most times in hiding. The constraints around a woman of her family stature were huge—from foot binding to obedience to a mother-in-law at age 15 (taken from her family!) to not being able to leave the women’s area of the compound—ever. While having her life seemed to be the ideal, it was other characters who seemed to have more freedom (Meiling, who had a lower job as a midwife but was able to move around the town), even Poppy, the maid, who did not have bound feet and also moved around town.