From the Publisher
In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named
Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, "old
same," in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The
laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan
on which she's painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that
Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from
the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send
messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of
isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.
Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon
their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and
tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond
that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises,
their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
From the Jacket
"Powerfully alive, unfolding like a waking dream, haunting,
magical, and absolutely impossible to forget."
-The Boston Globe
"Both heartbreaking and heartbreakingly lovely . . . immerses the
reader in an unimagined world . . . The characters and their
surroundings come vibrantly alive."
-The Denver Post
"A provocative and affecting portrait."
-Chicago Tribune
"A marvel of imagination . . . so mesmerizing the pages float away
and the story remains clearly before us from beginning to
end."
-Amy Tan, author of Saving Fish from Drowning
"Riveting . . . a story that informs as it charms."
-The San Diego Union-Tribune
"Extraordinary . . . breathtaking."
-Baltimore Sun
"Magical, haunting fiction. Beautiful."
-Maxine Hong Kingston, author of The Fifth Book of Peace
"[See's] best book yet . . . a beautifully drawn portrait of female
friendship and power."
-The Seattle Times
"An engrossing and completely convincing portrayal of a woman
shaped by suffering forced upon her from her earliest years, and of
the friendship that helps her to survive."
-Arthur Golden, author of Memoirs of a Geisha
About the Author
Lisa See is the author of Flower Net (an Edgar Award
nominee), The Interior, and Dragon Bones, as well
as the critically acclaimed memoir On Gold Mountain. The
Organization of Chinese American Women named her the 2001 National
Woman of the Year. She lives in Los Angeles.
To schedule a speaking engagement, please contact American
Program Bureau at www.apbspeakers.com
From the Hardcover edition.
Bookclub Guide
1. In your opinion, is Lily, who is the narrator, the heroine or
the villain? What are her flaws and her strengths?
2. Do you think the concept of "old sames" exists today? Do you
have an "old same," or are you part of a sworn sisterhood? In what
ways are those relationships similar or different from the ones in
nineteenth-century China?
3. Some men in nineteenth-century China apparently knew about
nu shu, the secret women's writing described in Snow
Flower. Why do you think they tolerated such private
communication?
4. Lily writes her story so that Snow Flower can read it in the
afterworld. Do you think she tells her story in a convincing way so
that Snow Flower can forgive and understand? Do you think Snow
Flower would have told the story differently?
5. When Lily and Snow Flower are girls, they have one
intimate-almost erotic-moment together Do you think their
relationship was sexual or, given the times, were they simply girls
who saw this only as an innocent extension of their friendship?
6. Having a wife with bound feet was a status symbol for men,
and, consequently, having bound feet increased a woman's chances of
marriage into a wealthier household. Women took great pride in
their feet, which were considered not only beautiful but also their
best and most important feature. As a child, would you have fought
against having your feet bound, as Third Sister did, knowing you
would be consigned to the life of a servant or a "little
daughter-in-law"? As a mother, would you have chosen to bind your
daughter's feet?
7. The Chinese character for "mother love" consists of two
parts: one meaning "pain," the other meaning "love." In your own
experience, from the perspective of a mother or a daughter, is
there an element of truth to this description of mother love?
8. The author sees Snow Flower and the Secret Fan as a
novel about love and regret, but do you think there's also an
element of atonement in it as well?
9. In the story, we are told again and again that women are weak
and worthless. But were they really? In what ways did Lily and Snow
Flower show their strength and value?
10. Although the story takes place in the nineteenth century and
seems very far removed from our lives-we don't have our feet bound,
we're free and mobile-do you think we're still bound up in other
ways; for instance, by career, family obligations, conventions of
feminine beauty, or events beyond our control such as war, the
economy, and natural disasters?
11. Because of its phonetic nature, nu shu could easily
be taken out of context and be misunderstood. Today, many of us
communicate though e-mail or instant-messaging. Have you ever had
an experience where one of your messages has been misunderstood
because of lack of context, facial or body gestures, and tone of
voice? Or have you ever been on the receiving end of a message that
you misinterpreted and your feelings were hurt?
12. Madame Wang, the matchmaker, is a foot-bound woman and yet
she does business with men. How is she different from the other
women in the story? Do you think she is considered a woman of
status or is she merely a necessary evil?
About the Book
In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, "old same," in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she's painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
