Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel-Fast Shipping

Description

Lily is haunted by memories–of who she once was, and of a person, long gone, whodefined her existence. She has nothing but time now, as she recounts the tale ofSnow Flower, and asks the gods for forgiveness.

In nineteenth-century China, whenwives and daughters were foot-bound and lived in almost total seclusion, the womenin one remote Hunan county developed their own secret code for communication: nushu (“women’s writing”). Some girls were paired with laotongs, “old sames,” in emotionalmatches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroideredmessages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their isolationto share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.

With the arrival of a silk fanon which Snow Flower has composed for Lily a poem of introduction in nu shu, theirfriendship is sealed and they become “old sames” at the tender age of seven. As theyears pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages,loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developinga bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, theirlifelong friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

Snow Flower and the SecretFan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that isas deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance ofMemoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one ofthe most mysterious of human relationships: female friendship.