Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
Groucho Marx
For a while now I've been thinking about putting some book reviews on my blog. Not really a straight review, but more like my thoughts about the book. So here's the first one, and we'll see how it goes!
Today I read (a whole book!) Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, a novel by Lisa See. Cindy Lynn had mentioned it as something interesting, but by the time it came in at the library I had forgotten what it was about.I can't imagine I will ever forget the predominant topic of the first part of the book, ever again.
Foot binding!
The story is about two young girls who are bound into a friendship relationship when they are 7, a relationship which is considered to be even more enduring than a marriage relationship.
I didn't think the relationship story was exceptional. On the other hand, the historical background kept me fascinated and repelled at the same time.
First of all, the idea that any culture would subject it's females to such gross brutality and deformity in the name of beauty is absolutely mind-boggling to me. Sure, we women do all sorts of interesting, inconvenient, and even uncomfortable things in the name of beauty. But binding girls' feet to the point that the foot bones broke and there was a significant risk of death? Insanity.
The other part of the novel that was interesting to me was the social structure. Girls were regarded as having no value, both because they had no ability to bring income to a family, and because they would eventually leave the "natal" family to live with the husband's family. Matches were made when they were still children, but they remained with their families until after they were married and pregnant. And when they moved into the husband's home, they were considered the least important members of the household and were treated as servants.
Can I just say that tonight I'm extremely grateful to be living in the here and now?!?
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That was what so fascinated me about the book - the social structure. The plot was almost just window dressing! ;) Although I thought it was interesting to see, later in the book, how completely indoctrinated Lily was by the culture she grew up in, to the point where she was so hurtful to Snow Flower. Very, very interesting. When we read it in book club, people were like, "If I lived then, I wouldn't stand for that kind of thing! I would just go outside and live my own life!" But I think it's really clear that most people never would have even had such a thought cross their mind... I think that when you grow up with something, it's so ingrained in you that you really do believe it. Anyway - interesting book.
ReplyDeleteYou guys should read Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan, maybe you have. About a young girl's experience after her arranged-marriage husband dies and she is the slave of his family. It is a children's book, but very good.
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