Snow Flower & the Secret Fan

I'm happy that I was born a female. I'm happy that I was not born a female in early 19th Century China. I'm happy that my feet did not have to be broken & then bound, that I have not spent my life literally serving others, and that I am of more use to my husband than just "bed fun". I am lucky that I am able to participate in society on equal footing with men. I feel blessed that my husband and family can openly share & express their love for me. Lily & Snow Flower {in Snow Flower & The Secret Fan} are apparently not as lucky as I feel. And yet- they were able to experience tradition and the beauty of Chinese culture. They were able to be a part of the most intimate & special of relationships, that of the laotong, or old sames- our likely equivalent of BFF on steroids. Their relationship was, from the beginning, deemed more intimate & special than that they had with their husbands. They vowed to be absolutely devoted to each other for their lives. Additionaly, the importance of filial relationships in Chinese culture is to be respected. The emphasis on family is profound, although not in the same sense as we are used to in Western culture. Furthermore, despite women being deemed as worthless throughout the book, it is clear that they have restrained power & influence. Still though- I really wanted to inject most of the feamales in the book with a serious shot of self-worth. I'm lucky to have that, too. Verdict: I really loved this book. It is definitely a book club book, that is, one that would be a catalyst for much discussion and thought amongst a group of intelligent women.