Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Read this book recently. It was okay. I didn't really get wrapped up in the characters or the story which I find imperative. It was really descriptive though of life in 19th century China. I had read The Good Earth earlier this summer and it was set in about the same time, but with much poorer circumstances. The Good Earth is a MUST read.

Anyway, back to Snow Flower....I did appreciate the glimpses it gave me of customs, traditions, superstitions, and the general way of the society at the time. I was fascinated/appalled at the foot binding tradition. It went into pretty good detail of how/when/why this is done and I must say that I am so grateful to be a woman in 21st century America!!

These are some pictures of a woman in China who had her feet bound as a child. (It doesn't happen anymore.....that we know of). They usually start at the age of 6 or seven and wrap the toes tightly around the feet until they eventually break and fold under. The smaller the feet the better. OUCH!! Anyway, culturally it was an interesting book. Otherwise not a very compelling story in my eyes!!