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A review by pm_me_book_recs
Lady Tan's Circle Of Women by Lisa See
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? It's complicated
4.0
"No mud, no lotus."
This was a beautiful and heartbreaking tale of resiliency and friendship.
We follow the main character, Tan Yunxian, from childhood to old age as she grapples with gendered power dynamics caused by the Confucian belief system in late 1400s China, and how she and her close circle of beloved women keep each other alive and well. Yunxian is trained by her grandparents to carry on the family legacy of doctor, specifically a women's doctor- pushed by her Grandma Rue, who I absolutely adore. This creates the main struggle through the story- how can she practice medicine when strictly forbidden by her formidable mother-in-law, and in turn society as a whole? With the help of her mischievous mid-wife best friend, Meiling, naturally. Betrayal, family intrigue, sorrows and successes ensue. This was an enjoyable slow-burn, deeply submersing the reader into the environment.
The story is told through the lens of normalized patriarchy, which I worry some will misunderstand as praise for said system. However, this is the story of the real woman doctor Tan Yunxian (1461-1554) who's book "Sayings of a Female Doctor" was denied publication- so she self published. I get the feeling that Lisa See did this historical figure justice.
I read this book via libro.fm
The narrator, Jennifer Lim, has the most calming voice, but also so dynamic. One line she perfectly executed a high lady's soft lilt, the next she is a raspy grandfather. Each character was distinguishable, I loved her representation and hearing how names are pronounced has been so helpful.
Content warning: Detailed descriptions of medical conditions, foot binding, suicide, family trauma, loss of parent, loss of child, birth descriptions.
This was a beautiful and heartbreaking tale of resiliency and friendship.
We follow the main character, Tan Yunxian, from childhood to old age as she grapples with gendered power dynamics caused by the Confucian belief system in late 1400s China, and how she and her close circle of beloved women keep each other alive and well. Yunxian is trained by her grandparents to carry on the family legacy of doctor, specifically a women's doctor- pushed by her Grandma Rue, who I absolutely adore. This creates the main struggle through the story- how can she practice medicine when strictly forbidden by her formidable mother-in-law, and in turn society as a whole? With the help of her mischievous mid-wife best friend, Meiling, naturally. Betrayal, family intrigue, sorrows and successes ensue. This was an enjoyable slow-burn, deeply submersing the reader into the environment.
The story is told through the lens of normalized patriarchy, which I worry some will misunderstand as praise for said system. However, this is the story of the real woman doctor Tan Yunxian (1461-1554) who's book "Sayings of a Female Doctor" was denied publication- so she self published. I get the feeling that Lisa See did this historical figure justice.
I read this book via libro.fm
The narrator, Jennifer Lim, has the most calming voice, but also so dynamic. One line she perfectly executed a high lady's soft lilt, the next she is a raspy grandfather. Each character was distinguishable, I loved her representation and hearing how names are pronounced has been so helpful.
Content warning: Detailed descriptions of medical conditions, foot binding, suicide, family trauma, loss of parent, loss of child, birth descriptions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Infertility, Suicide, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Grief, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Miscarriage, Vomit, and Violence