Lady Tan's Circle Of Women

A poignant new story exploring the life of a Chinese woman whose fate is bound by her countrys patriarchal power structures The quietly affecting reimagining follows Yunxian from her youth learning about the traditional pillars of Chinese medicine to the beginning of her lifelong friendship with a young midwife-in-training to the years after she is sent into an arranged marriage. Time See envelops her story in the accepted practices of the time: arranged marriages, the buying and selling of concubines, the pressure to provide male heirs, and the crippling and sometimes deadly practice of female foot binding. Despite the inordinate limits placed on women, See allows their strengths to dominate their stories, even though not all women were graced with lives of fulfillment. Washington Post Spellbinding vividly depicts 15th-century China with artfully woven details, rich characters and descriptive language. See captures a world of propriety and cruelty as she ruminates on the disparity between the lives of men and women, and how women no matter their class are treated as possessions of the men around them. But through her strong-willed characters, See also emphasizes how women can act as the anchors of society an emotional and illuminating epic. BookPage Based on true events, this richly imagined historical novel captures the extraordinary lives of two women in the Ming Dynasty Womans Own Engaging Based on the writings of an historical Ming dynasty female physician, Sees accomplished novel immerses readers in a fascinating life lived within a fascinating culture. Booklist The lives of women in 15th-century China are illuminated in this engrossing novel Womens friendships in a world where they have little freedom shape a quietly moving book. Kirkus Reviews An appealing tale of female love and loyalty See adds intrigue with a side plot involving a mysterious death, along with notable depictions of footbinding and the intricacies of Chinese medicine. Sees fans will find much to enjoy. Publishers Weekly The deft ways the story addresses issues of class and power are intriguing But the heart of this tale is indeed its titular circle of women, who rally around each other in ways both large and small the quiet ways they make space for and uplift one another is touching and heartfelt. Paste magazine Sees novel is a portrayal of female strength, resilience, and intelligence An intimate and absorbing story that immerses readers in the rich cultural and historical context of Ming Dynasty China, revealing the life of a woman whose legacy extends far beyond her time. Medium

Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American family's settlement in Los Angeles. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the History Maker's Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women.