Friendship is a contract between two hearts. With hearts united, women can laugh and cry, live and die together”. (p. 70)
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Lisa See is one of my favorite authors and it is her best work so far! She takes you into the world of 15th-century China. The vivid characters and intriguing story make it a page-turner!
Yunxian was trained to be a doctor to women. Her mother-in-law forbids this.
As her mother taught her..Always remember your place in the world. If you follow these rules you will establish yourself as a true and proper human being.”
p. 5
Her friendship with Meiling and her appreciation for the other supportive women in her “circle” help Yunxian find her voice and live a purposeful life.
It’s obvious that the author thoroughly researched Chinese culture, society, food, tea, and medicine. She always does. That’s why I respect her as an author; it’s also what really brings the reader so deeply into the story. She can really develop a strong sense of place. In addition, she writes characters the reader cares about. I’m proud to say that I recommended this to my book club. Five stars+++It takes a lifetime to make a friend, but you can lose one in an hour…Life without a friend is life without sun. Life without a friend is death.”
p.256
Lovelearning 