Average Rating: 8.4Rachel: 8.0 - really like it, the characters. Cuagher by surprise by Snow Flower's background. Disppointed by actions when Snow Flower was publicly humiliated.
Dana: 9.0 - liked Lily and Snow Flower's relationship. Very interesting book - winter, food. Good read, liked separation of parts - the Hair Pinning Days, etc.
Sara: 8.5 - well written. Aspect of history was unknown - the role of women. Miscommunication between Snow Flower and Lily - was upset by it but understood why.
Rebecca: 8.25 - Liked the first 3/4. Started to get bored with the part in the caves. Very interesting story. Liked the metaphor from the first fan from Snow Flower about feeing the flower. Parallels with The Red Tent (roles of men and women.) Good read.
Anne: 8.5 - Really enjoyed the book. Liked the characters - matchmaker. Could easily visualize the characters. Compared to the Red Tent with women and society. Cool that the loatong relationship was closer than with your husband.
Tina: 8.5 - Really liked the women's perspective on history. Patriarchal societies set themselves up similarly - similarities between Red Tent and Secret Fan. Didn't find the women's place as shocking as other because the way she was raised. She could relate to the book.
Erika: 8.5 - Looking back, book appears as a movie due to the vivid images. Felt many emotions while reading.
1 comment:
COMMENTS FROM BECKY
(IN IRAQ)
A good book. I give it an 8.
I really enjoy books when I learn something as well as am entertained with the story. This book gave me both.
The novel started out amazing and appauling with the story of the foot binding. I am amazed women found the need to break their feet to obtain an ideal 3 inch foot. This ideal foot size, although preventing a girl to grow up at age 5 and never walking or running 'normal' again, determined your future. And, this was apart of the Chinese culture up until the most recent generations. Appauling, but then it made me thing what our culture believes is beautiful. Books may be written on how our generation is obsessed with unhealthily, tan, skinny women who will become balemic to become 'beautiful'. Mothers who force malnutrition on their daughters and make them depressed in order to achive 'beauty'. I guess it's not exactly the same, but still makes think how man's ideal of beautiful affects women's lives to much. We have come a long way though.
This book was extremely touching with it's story of friendship and the relationships between women. I have had some powerfully great conversations with friends about the relationships with women and how it's so different then with men. It also makes me wonder what my friendship fans would say? Although that would require some sewing talent, which would take time, I would rather have a friendship scrapbook...hah.
This book also made be proud to be a woman. It helped me realize how strong women were, even if they weren't as independant as we are now, women throughout history have proved their strength. Woman are faced with so many challenges and struggles; they have always had to choose what was most important and fight for it - not to get all femanist on you or anything. Coming from a place where I try everyday to prove my worth as 'one of the guys', this book helped me embrace being a woman.
I think I will celebrate that when I get home by a day full of shopping. :-)
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