Ever since reading Maxine Kingston's The Woman Warrior , I've become slightly obsessed with Asian autobiographies. My first summer novel this year was Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See and it was absolutely stunning. Although it takes place in 19th century China, the story of friendship and betrayal between the protagonist and her laotong (kindred spirit/best friend) is compelling and relatable.
We've all been on the giving and receiving end of Judas kiss and neither side is pleasant. This novel puts into perspective how simple it is for a misunderstanding to occur. People are complex and no two individuals view a situation in the same way. Therefore, it is important to remember that there are three sides to every story. Mine, yours, and the truth.
It encourages people to be carful with what they say because one word can hurt enough to make all the difference in the world. It's so easy to say "don't dwell on the past," but it is the past that helps shape our future. Sometimes, censoring yourself for the benefit of others is essential in preserving relationships. Can you imagine if we all spoke candidly? There would be no one left in this world besides selfish individuals. Just like us, Lily and Snow Flower learned that the hard way. I felt their pain. In one beautiful line, Lily claimed that "any time a memory came into my mind, I painted over it with black ink." Had she not done this whenever Snow Flower's betrayal entered her mind, she might have been open enough to realize that Truth hid in between their discrepancies.
My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Comments
No responses to “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan”
Post a Comment