Lady Tan's Circle of Women
I'm back with another book review before July ends. The summer heat has certainly been distracting. It's gone past 118 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm just about ready for the winter months to start rolling in. I did take a three day vacation, however. I traveled up to the mountains where it was much cooler and shady due to the lovely trees. During my short vacation I read Lisa See's "Lady Tan's Circle of Women" cover to cover. It's a fascinating historical fiction set in 15th century China. I loved the refreshing way historical facts were incorporated into a very clever and realistic story of that time. I was definitely kept entertained and enjoyed how the author wrote in a way which honored China's tradition while also showing how it negatively affected women of all ages and status.
Synopsis: Tan Yunxian leaves her father's home when her mother passes away from a horrific foot infection. She moves into her grandparent's home where she learns medicine---an uncommon practice for ladies born into an elite family. As Lady Tan goes through the stages of womanhood, she finds friends among the women who surround her, despite class and age. Afterall, women should support one another.
Writing: 5/5
This book had great writing! I was kept on the edge of my seat by the clever and distinguished grammar throughout this book. The author did a fantastic job introducing historically common practices done in China at the time. For instance, Lisa See went in depth on the subject of footbinding, an all too customary and cruel tradition among young ladies throughout decades in China. There are many passages that speak about the process of footbinding and how to properly care for one's feet after the habitual mutilation. Not only this, but the emotions and pain the women felt was expressed so well through the writing. There were many times where I felt my stomach twist in anguish as I read about the suffering these women went through to hold up the beauty standards at the time. A good wife had tiny binded feet, a calm temperament, and the ability to produce a son to continue the family line. The author did an amazing job outlining all the details of the lives of women in China, and I applaud that. There were also very detailed descriptions of women giving birth which was very interesting to read.
Dialogue: 5/5
There was certainly nothing to complain about, dialogue-wise. Each character had a way they carried themselves and the dialogue kept each's personality realistic and true to the character.
Characters: 4/5
The characters were written incredibly well! From the realistic distancing from the father, to the never-pleased attitude of the mother-in-law, to the jealousy of all the concubines in the household. Lady Tan's unwavering devotion to helping others, her anxieties of living up to the standards of a wife in an elite family, and her loyalty to the ones she cares about are consistent attributes of her personality which hold strong on every page. A prominent character who captured my attention was Miss Zhao, the concubine of Yunxian's father. At first, their bond was tattered and nearly nonexistent, as Yunxian's mother expressed distaste for her (obviously). But as Yunxian grows and enters the different stages of womanhood, Miss Zhao is constantly shown caring for her and taking on the responsibilities of helping her with her studies. It broke my heart to know that she was truly in love with Yunxian's father, but there was no chance she could ever be more than a concubine to him and to all others who saw her. Meiling was also a very well-written character. The daughter of a midwife, her destiny and reputation is practically assigned to her at birth. Midwives dealt with blood which was considered dirty and sinful, something which doctors were not allowed to touch. However, beautiful Meiling took on her duties with such grace and happiness. Her relationship with Yunxian was truly one to admire. Their love for each other tugged at my heartstrings with each passing paragraph. There were some distasteful characters as well, which is to be expected. Most of the characters were vibrant with personality, while some did come off as bland. However, such is the life of a background character. I did not care too much for how much Yunxian obeyed the men in her life and strived to be the way everyone wanted her to be. Of course, that's how it had to be back then, and although I understand the consequences of disobedience during this time, it was still difficult to read of her submission to those who had no respect for her as a human being.
Plot: 5/5
This book had absolutely everything. Romance, historical fiction, murder mystery, politics. Although the romance was lacking between Yunxian and her husband, I would say the romance between Yunxian and Meiling was what truly interested me. Although their relationship was platonic, I could feel the true love emanating off of each page between them. It was beautiful and captured my attention from the beginning. The historical aspects consisting of footbinding, the jobs of a wife, and the existence of eunuchs were all fascinating to read. As a woman living in 15th century China, there were not many options for you. You were either a poor worker/midwife, a concubine, or an elite wife. All of these positions were not necessarily relaxing and easy work. Concubines could easily be dismissed if disfigured, midwives were despised by their work in the delivering of babies, and elite wives had the stressful job of providing sons and trying to maintain their husband's affection. It was both infuriating and enlightening to read about the past of China through this based-on-a-true-story novel. The murder of a woman to cover up an act of serious deceit was a surprising and welcomed addition to the story. I had to wait a long while to find out what exactly happened and who did it, but the revelation was quite worth the wait. Not only this, but the addition of the struggles of pregnancy was a frightening but all too real and important subject. The description of the miscarriage which took place in the book was so painful to read, yet I read it over and over in my shock, my eyes brimming with tears. I mourned with the woman on the page. My heart clenched tightly when the mother begged to die after losing her baby, her strength, and her dignity. Such moving scenes really made this book worth the read.
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
I give this lovely book a 5 out of 5 stars! It was an enlightening read from start to finish, with amazing twists and turns and heartbreaking moments which almost made me cry! The writing was fantastic, the characters had depth, and the story was moving. I loved this story, and it certainly had a lasting effect on me. I definitely recommend this to history lovers.
What are your thoughts?