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emotional
sad
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:
Yes
Lisa See is one of my favorite authors! Her writing is so compelling and immersive. I felt as if I was actually growing up alongside Snow Flower and Lily. Lisa's books always allow me to see through a different time and place. Which is one of the my main joys of reading.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Picked up this book on a whim in a bookstore last year and finally got around to reading it. The book is well written with an easy to read style. The historical setting of 1800s China was interesting and lent a vibrant backdrop for the focus of the story which is of Lily (mc) and her relationships with others and finding her place as a woman.
Warning: there is a pretty graphic description of footbinding early on in the book. I knew about footbinding but the book describes the process in detail and I honestly felt sick reading that part. I think it’s important because that is something that happened in real life and Lily’s character is shaped by this event pretty strongly. But just be aware.
Overall, I cried at the end of the book. It was sad, reflective, beautiful. A good reminder to examine your relationships and not take everything at face value.
Warning: there is a pretty graphic description of footbinding early on in the book. I knew about footbinding but the book describes the process in detail and I honestly felt sick reading that part. I think it’s important because that is something that happened in real life and Lily’s character is shaped by this event pretty strongly. But just be aware.
Overall, I cried at the end of the book. It was sad, reflective, beautiful. A good reminder to examine your relationships and not take everything at face value.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Blood
Moderate: Child death, Suicide
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Suicide, Excrement, Death of parent, War, Pandemic/Epidemic
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I debated giving this book five stars. I liked the first third of the story that dug deep into childhood. The middle seemed to rush through life moments; at times it felt like reading a timeline rather than a story. The story is told from the perspective of the narrator as an old woman, who constantly reminds us that things will get worse. The persistent "if only I knew then how bad things would get" started to feel like a tirade. I'm not a fan of the strategy of only naming characters that are important. There are so many characters that are only named by their relation (aunt, uncle, third sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, many many more in-laws) that at first I assumed it was a strategy by the author to draw attention only to named characters, but after finishing the story I feel like the narrator simply didn't care to learn their names and this was intentional. The characters only existed in relation to her, not as individuals. The narrator is believable, relatable, and lovable, but she says and does things that seem entirely justified in the moment but are ultimately selfish and cruel.
The end of this book, and knowing the end reflecting on the rest, clawed out my worst fears about myself. I'm reading this at exactly a time in my life when I need it. I didn't love this story, at times I hated it, but it forced me to look at my own life in another perspective. The detached way the narrator thought of and treated other people, and the visceral descriptions of body horror both in foot binding and death, seemed to congeal into one horrific mass that I won't forget. I felt ugly, but also hopeful that it's not too late. Other books I've kept on my shelf because they make me happy. This one is a reminder and a warning.
The end of this book, and knowing the end reflecting on the rest, clawed out my worst fears about myself. I'm reading this at exactly a time in my life when I need it. I didn't love this story, at times I hated it, but it forced me to look at my own life in another perspective. The detached way the narrator thought of and treated other people, and the visceral descriptions of body horror both in foot binding and death, seemed to congeal into one horrific mass that I won't forget. I felt ugly, but also hopeful that it's not too late. Other books I've kept on my shelf because they make me happy. This one is a reminder and a warning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was really captivated by the story during the Milk Days: learning about the restrictions Lily faced bwing a young girl, saddened by the hardships Lily faced, discovering Lily's laotong and how their relationship would shape each of their futures.
Unfortunately, I began to lose interest during the Hair Pining Days and then I was left wanting during the Rice and Salt Days. The main conflict that would arise between Lily and Snow Flower seemed evident from very early on in the Milk Days. I also didn't enjoy how family betrayals seemed to come across as superficial when, I would assume and as it is referenced within the novel, back in that time of history betrayal could shape the course of someone's or an entire generation's future.
The Milk Days early in the book are really what drew me into the novel and for the large amount of time dedicated to the remaining sections, it ultimately left me feeling like the pace of the book was dragging on and when it had so much early potential. Still a beautiful and harrowing historical fiction, that leans more historical.
Unfortunately, I began to lose interest during the Hair Pining Days and then I was left wanting during the Rice and Salt Days. The main conflict that would arise between Lily and Snow Flower seemed evident from very early on in the Milk Days. I also didn't enjoy how family betrayals seemed to come across as superficial when, I would assume and as it is referenced within the novel, back in that time of history betrayal could shape the course of someone's or an entire generation's future.
The Milk Days early in the book are really what drew me into the novel and for the large amount of time dedicated to the remaining sections, it ultimately left me feeling like the pace of the book was dragging on and when it had so much early potential. Still a beautiful and harrowing historical fiction, that leans more historical.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
emotional
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:
Yes
I cannot help but compare 'Secret Fan' to another of See's novels, Isle of Sea Women. While I enjoyed 'SF', I don't feel the ending was developed as well as 'IoSW' in the theme of female friendship/misunderstandings. I still loved the characters and their saga, but it's clear to see in Lisa See's other works how much she has developed as an author/storyteller since this novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, War
Minor: Miscarriage
This book covers mature topics I've listed above and also foot-binding, which may be triggering for some.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death