Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved learning about the Chinese culture during the 15th century. This was a fantastic entrance into the world of many different classes of Chinese women and what was expected of them. The narrator was fantastic and helped make the characters come alive.
I could not put this book down. I am a fan of Lisa See’s writing and she has done it again with this treasure of a novel. This book is a delicate balance of Chinese culture, politics, and history. I felt empathy and yet was equally as encouraged by the strong female protagonists. This book is both a celebration of female bonding and upholding familial traditions, both which allow the characters to prosper while also breaking boundaries.
The history of Chinese medicine is fascinating to me where it seems like they were just guessing at random ingredients without scientific background, the remedy was so bizarre. I love the story of Lady Tan but there were times this book felt a bit sloggish to me, dragging over trivial details but overall it was well done. I’d give it a solid 3.5 stars.
DNF at 75%. A boring slog, didn’t like any of the characters. Passive to a fault.
Every story by Lisa See I have thoroughly enjoyed, and this one is no different. This story set during the Ming dynasty, and follows the life of a woman who learns medical practice as part of her family heritage. There is a strong underlying theme of how Women of the time could be influential, and show strength in a very patriarchal setting. With just a touch of mystery, this story is historical fiction at it’s finest. See’s writing style is gorgeous yet succinct and you can get so immersed in the complex lives of the women in her stories.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Given lady doctors in 15th century China is a topic and setting I didn't know much about, I appreciated the amount of research See did to bring it to life and the education I got on foot binding, concubines, and traditional medicine. However, the story is quite slowly paced and took me at least 150 pages to get into. I wish See had spent more time building up Meiling and Yunxian's relationship, but really enjoyed the story once they went to the imperial city and also the hint of a murder mystery that comes up at the end.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
