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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: Lisa See
Creator: Jodi Long
Publisher: Random House Audio
Category: Book
List Price: $14.99
Buy Used: $5.37
You Save: $9.62 (64%)
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Rating:  605 reviews
Sales Rank: 114111
Format: Abridged, Audiobook
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Abridged
Number Of Items: 4
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 5.7 x 4.9 x 1
ISBN: 0739334670
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780739334676
ASIN: 0739334670
Publication Date: February 21, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Couple CD's have light scratches that don't affect playability. Jewel case has cracks. PaceSetter Books ships almost all items within 24 hours of when they are ordered. Each order ships in a padded envelope or sturdy box; delivery confirmation is provided free. If you need an item quickly, we will make every effort to meet your needs. Customer service is our passion! We accurately and carefully describe each item, so you know exactly what you
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Product Description
Lily is haunted by memories–of who she once was, and of a person, long gone, who defined her existence. She has nothing but time now, as she recounts the tale of Snow Flower, and asks the gods for forgiveness.
In nineteenth-century China, when wives and daughters were foot-bound and lived in almost total seclusion, the women in one remote Hunan county developed their own secret code for communication: nu shu (“women’s writing”). Some girls were paired with laotongs, “old sames,” in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.
With the arrival of a silk fan on which Snow Flower has composed for Lily a poem of introduction in nu shu, their friendship is sealed and they become “old sames” at the tender age of seven. As the years pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages, 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 lifelong friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of human relationships: female friendship.
From the Hardcover edition.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 600 more reviews...
 Buy this book! November 19, 2008
Lisa See's novel, "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," takes us into remote 19th-century China, where girls had their feet bound in a ritual of beauty that started at age 6 and took two full years to complete. From foot-binding onward, girls and women lived secluded in a second-story chamber of their household.
At 80, the narrator, Lily, is the senior woman of a wealthy household, powerful enough that she can speak her mind about her life's treasures and errors. Born in 1823 in the Hunan province, Lily started off as "a second worthless girl" in a poor farming family. Because her feet were high in the arch and potentially breathtaking, she had the potential to marry well and elevate the status of her family. She could also enter a second formal match, to another woman, a lifetime best friend called a sworn sister or laotong.
"Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" is the story of such a friendship.
Snow Flower becomes Lily's sworn sister, or "old same," meaning perfect match.
Rural, 19th-century China was a culture in which education and scholarship was limited to the male elite. Women were isolated from anyone who cared about them personally. What they said and how they communicated was rigidly formalized, learning the calligraphy of men was prohibited, so they developed a secret writing called nu shu. Only in nu shu and only to each other could they write or speak from the heart.
The first communication between Snow Flower and Lily was inscribed on a fan in the code of nu shu. The secret fan became the journal of their lives.
That fan guides Lily as she records her memoirs. She filters her memories through the late-life awareness of what mattered and what didn't. And what mattered most of all was the friendship with Snow Flower.
 Disappointing November 8, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was hoping this book would be like an Amy Tan book. I had a hard time getting through it though. I was disappointed. It's not that good.
Snowflower and the Secret Fan October 30, 2008
This book was very interesting and a real eye opener on ancient Chinese culture. It brought about a lot of great discussion at my book club.
I received this book later than usual. It was mailed on October 10th, but was not delivered until October 21st.
SNOWFLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN October 28, 2008
I HAVE PURCHASED 2 OTHERS FOR FRIENDS, THIS IS A GREAT BOOK. LISA SEE IS AN INCREDIBLE WRITER, I AM ON HER 3RD BOOK NOW, I HIGHLY SUGGEST THIS BOOK FIRST.
THANK YOU
Phenomenal Women Book Club (Houston, TX) October 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was a wonderful, loving, and tragic story of friendship and betrayal that teaches the reader much about compassion and forgiveness. We felt that Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was a book that truly transcended time and culture. This plot, with two women at its center, encompasses the hurt, pain, anguish, and undying compassion two women felt for each other. The author's ability to paint `true and clear' pictures of her characters allows you to see into their soul; thus developing a deeper understanding of both the men and women portrayed in the book.
This is a memorable piece that allows you to experience feelings that you have faced either through your own life or the life of a loved one. After reading it, many of us were forced to rethink the experiences we've had in the 20th century and how they are reminiscent of the events shown in the book: dishonesty, betrayal, a desire to survive, illness. All of these ultimately ending up with a common denominator of devotion and forgiveness.
Many of us cried as we completed the book because we came to the realization that this would not be a happily ever after tale. "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" was a great story with twists and turns you might not anticipate. Through this book many can better understand how far women have come since the days of foot binding; it also shows us how far we have not come from sharing a sisterhood of secrets, compassion, betrayal, and unconditional love as sisters. This was an excellent story and we highly recommend it.
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