In nineteenth-century China, in a remote Hunan county, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. The laotong, Snow Flower, introduces herself by sending Lily a silk fan on which she’s painted a poem in nu shu, a unique language that Chinese women created in order to communicate in secret, away from the influence of men. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared 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 deep friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

 Back to top | e-mail or print this page

WINNER 2006 - New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

 Back to top | e-mail or print this page

“Powerfully alive, unfolding like a waking dream, haunting, magical, and absolutely impossible to forget.”
–The Boston Globe

“Both heartbreaking and heartbreakingly lovely . . . immerses the reader in an unimagined world . . . The characters and their surroundings come vibrantly alive.”
–The Denver Post

“A provocative and affecting portrait.”
–Chicago Tribune

“A marvel of imagination . . . so mesmerizing the pages float away and the story remains clearly before us from beginning to end.”
–Amy Tan, author of Saving Fish from Drowning

“Riveting . . . a story that informs as it charms.”
–The San Diego Union-Tribune

“Extraordinary . . . breathtaking.”
–Baltimore Sun

“Magical, haunting fiction. Beautiful.”
–Maxine Hong Kingston, author of The Fifth Book of Peace

“[See’s] best book yet . . . a beautifully drawn portrait of female friendship and power.”
–The Seattle Times

“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

 Back to top | e-mail or print this page

READ WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT
SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN BY LISA SEE...

"Words can't express the thanks I have for you sending Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. It was an incredible novel worth much praise and respect. I loved how the story was being told from an old woman's eyes and how her life unfolded with her laotong, Snow Flower. I've been recommending this book to every reader I meet and can't wait to make it my pick for our bookclub to read. Many thanks to Lisa See for an inspirational and riveting book."
Sharon Elfenbaum
Making Time For Books & Wine


"Thank you so much for sending Snow Flower and Secret Fan. It was such a wonderful and beautiful story and I'm thrilled that it's now in paperback. It will be a perfect book for book club discussions. It brings to life the history of women in rural China, the ability and strength of women (regardless of class and culture) to overcome emotional and physical obstacles, the bond of female friendship, and the ways that women can deeply effect each other in positive and negative ways. I also appreciated the additional information and historical context that Lisa See provided at the end of the book. I look forward to sharing this with my book club and others."
Tanya Maurer Cover to Cover
book club in San Diego, CA


"I would like to thank you for the opportunity to read this book. It was a book I may have never chosen for myself, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I never knew much about the whole foot binding ritual, and I felt I learned a lot from this book. It is always refreshing to read something about friends in a different time and culture. You see that even though we are from different places, a different time, and a different culture, we are all the same. We feel the same and love the same, and our friendships with our women friends are very important!"
Karen Garry
Anderson Island, WA


"Thank you for sending me this special book. Our book club enjoyed it so very much. We had a very thoughtful discussion of another culture and time. We all enjoyed this story friendship between these women."
Sydney Heimer
Stacyville Public Library


"Thank you so much for the copy of the book Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I did not hear of this book until I received this copy but I am going to spread the word. What a poignant and moving story. I cried for the pain Lily caused Snow Flower and her regrets afterwards -I cried because Lily had some of her mother in her. I cried for Snow Flower and her miserable life. I cried for all the women that endured foot-binding. I will share this title with all who are interested!"
Mel Isaacson
Fairport,NY


"Although I have read many books dealing with women in China including information about foot binding, this book provided more detail about the process than I had previously encountered. The communication theme was interesting, not only with the secret language but with miscommunication and withheld information that caused many heartaches. We are passing it around our Book Club and will probably include it on our new list. Thank you."
Nancy Mudloff Newcomers' Book Club Activity Chair


"I just wanted to thank you for sending me a copy of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I just finished reading it last night. It is, without a doubt, one of the best books I have ever read. I hated to put it down and I was sad when I finished it. I felt like I had lost two friends -- Lily and Snow Flower. Ms. See certainly has a wonderful way of writing and her portrayal of life in a small village in China during the 19th century was educational and endearing. Thanks again for the opportunity to read this wonderful story."
Debbie Moore Chief Judge


"I was transformed into another culture, felt the pain of the foot binding, the loneliness of the women and the perceived betrayal of the "old sames". As I am involved in three monthly book clubs, I have put this author's work on the agenda to share with all the other members. It will make a wonderful discussion and I look forward to sharing it with other women. Thank you so much for sending me this wonderful read. I don't know if I would have discovered it on my own."
Marilyn Hurst
Matthews, NC


"I would like to thank you for introducing me to Lisa See. I read this book cover to cover, including the author's notes and reading guide, in 24 hours. I literally could not put it down. In my mind I could vividly see the world of Snow Flower and Lily. I cried throughout the novel, my heart touched be the often-painful circumstances of these characters lives. I look forward to sharing this book with others."
Mrs. Tiffany Lagueux Cypress, CA

"I just finished reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. It definitely will go on our book club list. We especially enjoy reading novels that inform us about women in other cultures and this fits that category to a "T". I look forward to reading it again - just as soon as my feet stop hurting!!!! Thank you very much for this extraordinary look into lives of the women of ancient China."
Marti Dix WOW (Women of Words) Book Club

"I wanted to thank you for sending a copy of the recently released in paperback Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. I recently finished reading it and can not wait to share it with my reading group. This book is truly remarkable and touching. It was a pleasure to read and I raced right through. I will be presenting it to my book group at the end of this month and I think that they will embrace it."
Amy Biery-Skiba
Carnegie, PA

"This story about a remarkable friendship between two girls was very powerful and loving. I think if we are lucky, we too can have a "laotong" or as I would call them, "soul sisters". I have recommended this book to all my friends and will suggest it for my two book clubs. Too bad that women no longer have a secret written language!"
Rosa Lamour
Dorman Sewickley Library Brown Bag Book Club (leader)

"I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan last year in hardback. Then I recommended it to at least 6 people. It is one of the most amazing stories and at the top of my favorites from last year. During a lull in one of my book clubs I recommended it and the club immediately put it on the schedule. It was read and discussed for the better part of a month by the participants online."
Anne Glasgow ,Austin TX

"Thank you for this wonderful book!!!! It should come with a warning on the cover "Clear your schedule before starting this book". It is IMPOSSIBLE to put down. It was wonderfully written and I hated for it to end. Thank you for introducing this author to me. I have already put this book high on our bookclub MUST READ list."
Marcie Frank, book club leader

"I just finished reading the copy of Snow Flower and The Secret Fan by Lisa See. Wow! It has been a long time since I have read a book that so literally touched my very soul! I will always carry Lily and Snow Flower in my heart. Even thought they lived in a different culture, I was able to relate, in so many ways, to their trials and tribulations as daughters, wives, mothers, and most of all, as friends. Lisa See is on my list of favorite authors. I know our Book Club will enjoy reading the book."
Sylvia Baker, book club leader

 Back to top | e-mail or print this page

Learn about the film Nu Shu: A Hidden Language of Women in China, by Yue-Qing Yang.
Visit the website of Lisa See

 Back to top | e-mail or print this page

Lisa See is the author of Flower Net (an Edgar Award nominee), The Interior, and Dragon Bones, as well as the critically acclaimed memoir On Gold Mountain. The Organization of Chinese American Women named her the 2001 National Woman of the Year. She lives in Los Angeles.
To schedule a speaking engagement, please contact American Program Bureau at www.apbspeakers.com  


From the Hardcover edition.

 Back to top | e-mail or print this page