Last night, I finished up Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, which was set up as a bookring through BookCrossing. It seems like there’s a lot of books out there that deal with this theme: historical fiction featuring Asian women (usually Chinese, or perhaps Japanese), that focuses on the friendship between two women, embellished with ample helpings of cultural minutiae. In this novel, Lily, an 80-year old widow in 19th century China, is relating the story of her life and lifelong friendship with Snow Flower, from the time of their mutual footbinding. I didn’t find the book to be particularly interesting or unique, and the best part was the last 25 or so pages, when Lily is wrapping up her story.

I didn’t hate it, didn’t love it, and honestly am not even interested enough it it to talk any more about it – I liked it better than Women of the Silk, a recent, similar read, but I think I need to take an indefinite break from this type of novel, or at least find better examples.