China

Oh my goodness – I am so happy that I was offered a spot on this blog tour because I loved this novel so much! I’m a huge fan of Lisa See’s historical novels of China and this novel reminded me of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, one of my favorite books ever. It is beautifully written and with interesting and multi-dimensional characters. I found the story fascinating, though sad at times, and I gained so many insights into Chinese cultures, and particularly into the systems of privilege and stations that existed.

Thank you so much for including me on the tour!

About the Book

A muizai is a mistress’s shadow. You are there to do her bidding…

19th Century China. Tightly bound feet, or “golden lilies,” are the mark of an honorable woman. When Little Flower is sold as a maidservant to Linjing, a daughter of the prominent Fong family, she clings to the hope that her golden lilies will someday lead her out of a life of slavery.

Not only does Little Flower have bound feet—uncommon for a muizai—but she is gifted at embroidery, a skill associated with women of fortune. Resentful of her talents, Linjing does everything in her power to prevent Little Flower from escaping. But when scandal strikes the Fongs, both women are cast out to the Celibate Sisterhood, where Little Flower’s talents catch the eye of a nobleman, threatening not only her improved status, but her life—the Sisterhood punishes disobedience with death. And if Linjing finds out, will she sabotage Little Flower to reclaim her power, or will she protect her?

Richly atmospheric and profoundly moving, The Lotus Shoes is an empowering tale of two women from opposite sides of society, and their extraordinary journey of sisterhood, betrayal, love and triumph.

About the Author

Jane Yang was born in the Chinese enclave of Saigon and raised in Australia where she grew up on a diet of superstition and family stories from Old China. Despite establishing a scientific career, first as a pharmacist and later in clinical research, she is still sometimes torn between modern, rational thinking and the pull of old beliefs in tales that have been passed down the family. Jane’s family tales are an inspiration for her writing. She writes stories about women in pre-Communist China, exploring power and class struggles, and sometimes with a dash of suspense, spirits and hauntings.

Buy Links are NOT affiliated with BBNB

HarperCollins:

The Lotus Shoes

Amazon:

Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lotus-shoes-jane-yang/1145107408?ean=9780778310679

Bookshop.org:

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-lotus-shoes-original-jane-yang/21335528?ean=9780778310679

Social Links

Author Linktree: https://linktr.ee/janeyangauthor

Twitter (X): https://x.com/JaneYangWriting

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janeyangwriting/

Embroidery features heavily in this story, so I wanted to include an interesting article I found: https://smarthistory.org/one-hundred-birds-hanging-scroll/

As you readers know, I love, love, love Lisa See’s books and her latest, “Dreams of Joy”, is a wonderful addition to her novels. Written as a sequel to “Shanghai Girls”, “Dreams of Joy” takes up where that story left off and follows Joy, Pearl, and May as they struggle to maintain their relationships amidst the changing political climate of China.

(May Contain Spoilers!) At the start of the book, Joy – May’s nineteen-year-old daughter – learns that May is her biological mother (not her aunt as she had always thought) and that Pearl is actually her aunt. Sam, the only father she has known, has recently committed suicide (in part due to allegations he suffered from the government) and Joy decides to leave her family and return to China (now strictly under Communist regime) to find and get to know her biological father, the artist Z.G. Joy’s journey is not an easy one, and she soon finds herself out in the countryside with her father, while he teaches art to peasants as part of his assignment. Pearl, meanwhile, takes the first opportunity to go to China to find Joy. While this story feels in part like an adventure as Pearl searches for Joy and then the group tries to get out of China, it really is a story of relationships – and specifically of the love between women – as mother/daughter and sister/sister – and also of the amazing tenacity and strength that women have.

I just loved this book. I found all the characters engaging and interesting, from the main characters of Pearl and Joy, to the peasants in the community where they lived. I always find it interesting to read of historical periods, and I really didn’t know too much about what daily life was like in China during these years of Mao’s regime. Ms. See portrays the life of the commoner, and the horrific famine that existed, with stark and deliberate detail. Her scenes of devastation are painted so vividly that they stay with you after you are done reading. Most of all, though, I love a story where intelligence and strength combine to help a person through. Joy changed so much throughout the story, but Pearl was the beacon of strength and maternal love throughout. By the end, both women had learned more about themselves and their bond with each other and to May. Joy’s new baby daughter completes the circle, yet continues it.

I know some people may find the ending a bit incredible. But to me, it ended just as I hoped. In my opinion, life doesn’t always give us happy endings, so I look for them in books.

If you are a fan of Lisa See, and especially if you’ve read “Shanghai Girls”, then don’t miss this latest novel!

(my copy was pre-ordered for my Kindle)