Lady Tan's Circle of Women Audiobook By Lisa See cover art

Lady Tan's Circle of Women

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Lady Tan's Circle of Women

By: Lisa See
Narrated by: Jennifer Lim, Justin Chien
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*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!*

From “one of those special writers capable of delivering both poetry and plot” (The New York Times Book Review) an immersive historical novel inspired by the true story of a woman physician in 15th-century China—perfect for fans of Lisa See’s classics Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane.

According to Confucius, “an educated woman is a worthless woman,” but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.

From a young age, Yunxian learns about women’s illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose—despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it—and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other’s joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus, they tell themselves: from adversity beauty can bloom.

But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and from helping the women and girls in the household. Yunxian is to act like a proper wife—embroider bound-foot slippers, recite poetry, give birth to sons, and stay forever within the walls of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights.

How might a woman like Yunxian break free of these traditions and lead a life of such importance that many of her remedies are still used five centuries later? How might the power of friendship support or complicate these efforts? A captivating story of women helping each other, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a triumphant reimagining of the life of one person who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today. Asian & Pacific Islander Creators Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction United States Women's Fiction World Literature China Marriage Heartfelt Suspenseful Medicine
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Critic reviews

Praise for Lisa See

"See is one of those special writers capable of delivering both poetry and plot."
—New York Times Book Review

Praise for Island of Sea Women

“Vivid ... thoughtful and empathetic ... necessary."
—New York Times Book Review

“Lisa See’s mesmerizing new historical novel…celebrates women’s strengths—and the strength of their friendships.”
—O, The Oprah Magazine

“Painstakingly researched…deft…a powerful and essential story of humanity.”
—The Los Angeles Review of Books

"Compelling ... takes readers on a journey spanning generations — in this case 1938 to 2008 — as moments of cherished friendship, unspeakable tragedy and, in the end, a plot twist worthy of Raymond Chandler unfold."
—Associated Press
"Lim’s restrained performance captures all the fascinating, if disturbing, details of bound feet, eunuchs, deadly diseases, and the courtly intrigue surrounding aristocratic life during the Ming dynasty. The foreword and afterword are authentically narrated by Justin Chien."

Editorial Review

The art of medicine and storytelling
The inspiration for this story came from a book that author Lisa See had in her library, written by a woman physician, Tan Yunxian, who lived during the Ming Dynasty in 15th century China. See’s extensive research combined with her signature storytelling skills results in a captivating and immersive fictional retelling—beautifully performed by Jennifer Lim and Justin Chien. With strong parallels to women’s struggles in 2023, this is a story that celebrates the unconditional support found in the “circle of women” and a fascinating study of Chinese medicine and culture. —Tricia F., Audible Editor

Fascinating History • Rich Cultural Details • Excellent Narration • Compelling Storyline • Well-researched Content

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How intriguing that there was an aristocratic female physician practicing in late 1400s/early 1500s China; how horrific the misogyny, torture (the evils of foot-binding are well described), and social enslavement of female human beings.
Would that the deep/true female friendships depicted here were more common, but in a culture that trains women from birth to compete with each other for male attention & approval, and encourages them to beat each other (and themselves) with the cudgels of jealousy & spite, backstabbing/betrayal is more the norm.
There’s not too much plot here, and it could use more editing; most unfortunately the narrator has an annoying, melodramatic, often infantile style of delivery.

Important history

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I loved this story so much—
I was immediately hooked from the sample. The characters are all perfectly imperfect in the best way. The strength and resilience of women is depicted beautifully in this book. I would recommend this book to anybody. The narrator did an amazing job.

Captivating

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I could not put it down. I enjoyed listening to this book. So interesting and

Great book. So interesting

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This was terrific! And to think it’s historical….A must read. I’ve recommended to all my friends and family.

Fantastic story

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This is a historical fiction that has you peering into the lives of ancient Chinese women. I found it fascinating!

Great book

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