Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

A Novel

By: Lisa See

Narrated by: Janet Song

Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

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 19th-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.

©2005 Lisa See (P)2005 Books on Tape Inc.

Critic reviews

New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, 2006

“Lisa See has written her best book yet. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is achingly beautiful, a marvel of imagination of a real and secret world that has only recently disappeared. It is a story so mesmerizing the pages float away and the story remains clearly before us from beginning to end.” –Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club and The Opposite of Fate: A Book of Musings

“I was mesmerized by this wondrous book–the story of a secret civilization of women, who actually lived in China not long ago. . . . Magical, haunting fiction. Beautiful.” –Maxine Hong Kingston, author of The Fifth Book of Peace

“Only the best novelists can do what Lisa See has done, to bring to life not only a character but an entire culture, and a sensibility so strikingly different from our own. This is 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

Wonderful

This book was wonderful. I enjoyed the captivating storytelling. It was so interesting. It brought me to tears several times. I would recommend it and have to many of my friends. This will be rated as one of my favorites.

Amazing!

Lisa See has an incredible gift for making you feel what her characters feel. They become real. And Janet Song is a gifted narrator. This was my first audio book by Lisa See and I experienced more emotions than I can name while listening to this story. It has a very graphic description of foot binding which is not for the squeamish but well worth listening to. I never knew how much these women went through for social status and a better life. The relationship between these 2 girls/women is remarkable. Must listen!

wow

this book..I cried so hard. I understand the regret of the main character. 😭 just wow.

Lovely Story

Provided great insight in to Chinese culture at the time as well as a study of human nature.

Fantastic Story of Humanity

Would you listen to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan again? Why?

I would highly recommend this book. The story was engrossing, I cried, smiled, and felt sick. The narrator does a suburb job and the story is such a compelling tale of a woman's journey and friendship experiences. It is a strong tale of self-discovery and a warning against behaviors that damage. I also thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Chinese culture. Hearing about the foot binding was sickening and incredibly interesting--I immediately googled all about it. The perspectives of men and women in China during this time period are fascinating.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite Character was Lily because of her self-awareness and growth that was painful, but necessary.

What does Janet Song bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She sounds like I would imagine the main character might. Her reading not only fits, but adds to the story by bringing it further to life.

If you could rename Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, what would you call it?

If I had to rename Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I would title it “Snow Flower: A Lifelong Lesson"

A Stunning Read

What a remarkable and beautiful story. You forget for a moment that it is a work of fiction because it could absolutely be 100% true...and, I'm assuming IS based on truth and lots of wonderful research.
The reader is excellent, the story is superb and I was sad when it ended. I must look for other work now from this author.

Chapters

The reason for the overall rating of 4 was because the chapters didn’t match the chapters in the book.

I loved it!

Lisa See writes beautifully and blends history, culture, and fiction in a masterful way. I will probably listen to this one again even though some parts of it are very sad.

Wonderful story of friendship

I really enjoyed this book. It was nice to follow the women in the story through their lifetime of friendship. They sure went through a lot together. I really enjoyed learning about the Chinese secret language of women. It seemed women had limited experiences then and it is great that they had this secret form of communication and a lifelong friend.

Straight to the heart

I understand next to nothing about ancient Chimes tradition, but I understand friendship. Any woman can relate to true deep heart woman's friendship. This story pulled me in and kept me engaged. the narration was very good.