Friday, March 28, 2014

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a novel based on two Chinese girls who find a way to communicate to each other. This would be strange if they weren’t forbidden to talk to one another about their lives.  China lives in a patriarchy, so the women are forced to behave in certain ways in marriage, in their private lives, and even endure outdated procedures, like foot binding, to make them more feminine. Because of this patriarchy, the two girls are not allowed to speak, as mandated by the men in their lives.  Lisa See has numerous novels, some being: Shanghai Girls, Dreams of Joy, and many more. Her books bring the reader into an old village and make them feel as if they are right there, living their life with them. See uses beautiful and quaint diction as she conveys the consequences of living in a time that is dominated completely by men.
           
I enjoyed reading this story and I highly recommend it. I think it would make an excellent selection for young teenage females. They will learn about: Chinese culture (past and present); mother-daughter relationships; foot-binding; arranged marriage; female relationships; Chinese history; Chinese foods; Chinese geography, and much more.


Book Review by Emina D.

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