Much of the historical fiction I've read set in 19th century China focuses on setting and plot, often with a large cast of characters. The Lotus Shoes is almost exclusively character driven. The voices of two characters alternate throughout the book. Lingjing and Little Flower are from different worlds, affluence and poverty. The two girls fates are intertwined when Little Flower's mother is forced to sell her daughter to the Fong family as a slave for Lingjing. The sale is conditional, Little Flower is to be released when she finds a suitable marriage. The hope for a better future sustains her she develops remarkable embroidery skills and she is both empathetic and intelligent. The story follows the girls into adulthood with many twists and turns. Although not exactly a Cinderella story although I thought of that tale several times. The history of foot binding is interesting and add a complexity to the story. Overall a good read.

This book set in China in 1800 tells the story of two women. There are two protagonists...Little Flower who was sold into slavery and :Lingling whose family is wealthy. It was interesting to learn of the culture in China at that time, how important it was for women to have their feet bound (golden lilies) as a sign the importance of having little feet. For women were not important in the family, it was only male children that were of importance. The difference between Little Flower and Lingling is set right from the beginning of the book and as we read we find that Little Flower has more compassion, she is filled with hope for a better future, while Lingling is filled with jealousy and selfishness as she has lived a life of privilege. It was interesting to read about the class system of that era, the difference between the peasant and the rich. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Told from alternating points of view, The Lotus Shoes is the story of two women from the opposite sides of society in late 19th century China whose lives become intertwined as young girls. At the time, tightly bound feet known as "golden lilies" are considered the highest standard of beauty among the upper classes of Chinese society and necessary for a young woman to make a good marriage.

Little Flower is born to a lower class family, however, her mother started binding her feet when she was four years old in hopes that having golden lilies would provide her with greater opportunity in the future. Tragedy befalls her family, however, and at the age of 6, Little Flower is sold to the prominent Fong family to be a muizai (maidservant) for daughter Linjing who is the same age.

Despite having all of the advantages of her family's wealth and position in society, Linjing is resentful of Little Flower for her golden lilies and for her exceptional skill at embroidery which is considered the purview of high class ladies and acts out of spite to hurt Little Flower whenever she can. Linjing insists that Little Flower be included as part of her dowry to accompany her as maidservant to her future husband's house but scandal strikes the Fong family setting the two young women upon a different path.

The Lotus Shoes is beautifully written, character-driven historical fiction based on stories from the author's family. The story highlights the manner in which class, gender and social norms prevented women and anyone from lower classes from getting ahead in 19th century China with a particular emphasis on the limited options for women who lacked agency and rights in the patriarchal society. Western ideas are starting to seep into Chinese society at this point, however, the cultural practice of foot binding and marriage traditions that left women at a disadvantage were still prevalent.

Little Flower is a resilient character demonstrating courage and determination in the face of a great deal of hardship. Linjing is flawed and much harder to feel sympathy for, however, she also has very limited choices available to her despite her family's wealth and social position. A touching debut from Jane Yang!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

So the main reason I picked this book as my next read was because I received a Goodreads email that featured the wonderful author, Alka Joshi, highly recommending this book!!! So THANKFULLY, through NetGalley, I was honored to have received the ARC book!!! AND.... I am SOOO GLAD I did!!! For me it's hard to put into words all the feelings I had while reading this amazing story... of family, love (the most hardest things we do for love), upper class versus lower class, forgiveness, and so on and so on. When finishing this book, I was sad for it to end, but at the same time, it was a perfect emotion-filled ending. 🩷

Linjing's father, in hopes of securing a marriage for her with a progressive and prominent family, forbids the binding of her feet. Little Flower, whose hopeful mother bound her feet in hopes of a good marriage is instead sold as a child to serve Linjing's family. She becomes Linjing"s maid and the object of her jealousy. The story tracks the relationship of these two women for good and ill.

Set in late nineteenth-century China, on the tipping point between imperial tradition and enforced modernity in response to Western colonialism, this debut novel counterposes the lives of two young women, one of whom owns the other.

Little Flower, the muizai (personal maid) of Linjing Fong, is sold into slavery at the age of six, after her father’s early death leaves the family with no other means of support. Convinced that good behavior will reunite her with her birth family, the child tries to follow her mother’s orders to obey silently and accept whatever treatment is meted out to her. This behavior wins over Linjing’s mother, especially when it becomes clear that Little Flower has an extraordinary gift for embroidery. But the pathway into the family is blocked by Linjing’s jealousy of the favored treatment that contributes in small ways to making Little Flower’s life in slavery more tolerable.

On the surface, Linjing’s life is a complete contrast to Little Flower’s. The privileged eldest child of her father’s chief wife, Linjing has been spared the agonies of foot binding because of her betrothal to the heir of a progressive Chinese family. She has received an education, including exposure to Western literature and teaching in English. Her “natural” feet make possible an active life. She loves to ride her horse and to explore the countryside, to the extent that is permitted to young woman. Even her one defect—color blindness, which makes embroidery difficult—is offset to some degree with help from Little Flower. Yet Linjing’s jealousy and quick temper prevent her from enjoying or even recognizing the many advantages available to her because of her birth.

Lotus shoes are the tiny slippers worn by women with bound feet, and foot binding—who endures it and who doesn’t, how different characters react to it, what it means in Chinese culture versus the reaction of Westerners—constitutes one major theme of the novel. Slavery—its impact on both those who own and those who serve—is the other. The author doesn’t pull her punches, and the cruelty inherent in this extremely hierarchical society is on full display. But the (very) gradual blossoming of a friendship between Little Flower and Linjing as their circumstances change makes their story both engrossing and memorable.

I will be interviewing this author for the New Books Network (link below) in April 2025.

This book was such a compelling page turner, told from two points of view. First we have Little Flower, a young girl sold into slavery by her widowed mother. Then there is Linjing, she ends up owing Little Flower, a spoiled daughter of the First Wife.
This is the early 1800's life in China, and men of wealth seemed to have a number of wives, and the goal to have sons! While it seems like a male society, the oldest First Wife rules over the household!
We follow these girls, the same age when we meet them, 6, through there lives, and are with them with struggles, and life changing events.
I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it! There is a big theme of forgiveness here!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of The Lotus Shoes.

2.5 rounded to 3. I had high hopes for this book because the premise sounded so promising, but I just couldn’t get into it. Part of the struggle was the Kindle formatting—words were randomly spaced (usually after the letter "f"), and page numbers popped up in the middle of paragraphs instead of at the top or bottom of the page. It made reading feel disjointed, and that didn’t help me get lost in the story.

Beyond that, the characters just didn’t click for me. They felt stiff and robotic, and instead of rooting for them, I mostly felt frustrated or annoyed. A big issue was the heavy use of internal monologue. While that can work in some stories, here it felt overly self-aware and unrealistic—especially with the younger characters. I couldn’t buy into the idea of 6, 8, or 10-year-olds having in-depth, step-by-step internal debates about their every move.

I considered DNFing, but I pushed through, hoping the story would pay off. Unfortunately, even though the idea behind the book was interesting, the execution just didn’t land for me.

If you liked Memoirs of a Geshia, then you'll love this book. The Lotus Shoes is just incredible from start to finish. It's heart wrenching, emotional, and beautiful. To put into words how perfect this book is, is impossible. You just have to read it for yourself and go through the journey of 2 young women in 1800s China.

Set in 19th Century China, this fabulous debut will bend and scrape every emotion from your heart. For a good marriage, women must be sure their "Golden Lillies." WOmen must bind their feet with lotus shoes to achieve a state of beauty. Without this you will not marry, nor have a future.

What an astounding and heartbreaking read about two girls who become women, one a slave and one her mistress in 1800's China. This character driven story had me mesmerized from the first page. I was drawn into their lives and the story would not let me go. What travails these women encountered and how they survived made for a very intriguing story. Very highly recommended.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are entirely my own.

I loved this book!!. This book is similar to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. The book discusses the trials of foot binding and navigating proper society in the early 19th century. A young girl's fate is chosen by the size of her golden lilies. I will be purchasing this book for our library and book club.
Thanks to NetGally for the ARC

The Lotus Shoes
Not only did this historical fiction novel keep me engaged from beginning to end, I also learned so much about China in the 1800s. I felt so deeply for the women in this novel. My heart broke reading the torture these brave women endured. I won’t forget Little Flower for a very long time.

Set in 1800s China, Little Flower is sold into slavery to a wealthy family of Fong.

The father of the Fong family arranges a marriage for his daughter Linjing. The father chooses a progressive family who doesn’t want a bride with bound feet. This creates jealousy as Little Flower has bound feet as her mother hoped that would help her in the future. Not only that, Little Flower is excellent at embroidery, the talent that Linjing lacks.

A betrayal leads to dire consequences for Little Flower, scaring her physically for life. And Linjing’s arranged marriage makes her rethink her strategy as she will need a loyal ally in the new household of her future husband. She starts seeing the right ally in Little Flower, but is it too late to tilt the scale and gain her confidence?

Little Flower tries to put the grief and loss aside and reach a new harmony in her life, but can she get passed sufferings to trust Linjing? At the same time, Linjing suffers unexpected betrayal from the person she trusted the most. As both girls suffer betrayals will that be the bridge between them?

This character-driven story captivates with characters that are flawed, complex, and driven. As they progress with their lives, they expose societal constrictions and pressure, and expose their actions through their thoughts.

The story has some grievances and unexpected twists and turns which makes the story very absorbing. The scenes are not descriptive but at the same time they have a power of cutting through with the pain one experiences. The prose is eloquent, sharp and engaging carrying the story with appealing pace.

This beautifully crafted story touchingly weaves the lives of two human spirits who search for their identity, in the process learning resilience and self-confidence.

The art and meaning of binding young girls feet which helps set their paths in life is highlighted. A young slave with bound feet and her owner have a difficult relationship. Jealousy, relationships, hardships, and determination permeate The Lotus Shoes which is a very interesting read. It will be a popular book club selection.

Jane Yang's The Lotus Shoes juxtaposes privilege with poverty primarily between two young girls-the spoiled and entitled Linjing and Little Flower, her maidservant. Little Flower has an inner strength that gives her hope for a better life while not only serving Linjing but also using her skills - specifically exquisite embroidery art - as a way to cover Linjing's lagging abilities. Linjing becomes possessive of Little Flower because she realizes Little Flower is everything she is not and never will be. Further, Linjing needs Little Flower so she can have and maintain a proper marriage.
Little Flower's attempt at escape from her apparent future results in a cruel attack leaving her with mangled fingers.
Will she be able to overcome this attack?
How will Linjing survive her own soon to come downfall?
How will either of them survive the Celibate Sisterhood?
Tensions mount as betrayal and deceit abound.
The Lotus Shoes is a page turner.

This book is historical fiction centered around two young Chinese girls, privileged Linjing and her slave, Little Flower. Their intertwined lives are followed as they experience tragedy after tragedy while maturing into adults. My eyes were opened to the plight of Chinese women in the late 19th century.

Thank you, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy of this interesting book.

I devoured this book! "The Lotus Shoes" by Jane Yang is a stunningly crafted historical fiction novel set in early 20th-century China. The story follows two young girls, Little Flower - whose mother began binding her feet at the age of 4 to have perfect "golden lilies" and then had to sell her into slavery, and Linjing - who has grown up wealthy and is given Little Flower as her slave. The girls' journey begins as children in Linjing's home, where jealousy overtakes Linjing because of Little Flower's perfectly bound feet and her incredible embroidery skills. It continues throughout their teen years when suddenly tragedy strikes, and the women are now dependent upon each other for survival.

Yang's story is based on stories shared and passed down by the women in her family (which I enjoyed reading about at the end of the book!). The cultural turmoil that women faced during this time is nothing short of captivating. Yang’s vivid storytelling shares the brutality of Little Flower's struggles in slavery and her triumphs while in this environment through her passion and embroidery skill (and her enormous inner strength!). The author does a beautiful job of exploring themes of femininity, tradition, and resilience while also introducing the culture of Western ways and resistance to change.

What sets this book apart is Yang’s deft portrayal of foot binding, a practice that symbolizes societal expectations of beauty and personal sacrifice. All of this was mind-blowing to me! Through Little Flower's eyes, we witness the tension between her kind heart and the desire for freedom, making her story not only personal but also universally relatable. At the same time, Linjing continually tries to destroy everything important to her. The characters are richly drawn, each contributing to Little Flower and Linjing's development and their overall motives. The narrative included many moments of joy, heartbreak, anger, and resilience - all of which made it impossible to put this book down.

Overall, I learned a lot about this time period, culture, and tradition. And I absolutely loved this story!

Thank you, #NetGalley, #JaneYang, and #ParkRowBooks, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of #TheLotusShoes. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this debut!!!

This historical fiction debut is set in the 1800's China.

The story alternates between the POV of Little Flower, a slave and Linjing, her master. The women come from opposite ends of the social world, but ultimately learn that they must work together to survive. It is a character driven story that opens the reader's eyes to the cultural world of 19th century China. I enjoyed learning about the customs and traditions of this time period. Also, I appreciated the glossary at the end. I wish I looked for it at the beginning of the book!

It is beautifully written and heartbreaking. I found myself routing for both Little Flower and Linjing. The novel explores what it means to be equals and true friends. Also, it revealed that no woman was truly free in 19th century China.

This is one of the best novels I have read this year. I cannot believe it is a debut. I look forward to more works from Jane Yang.

This would be a great read for fans of Lisa See and Min Jin Lee.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review.
The descrition of this book is spot on, so I will not rewrite it here.
This is a brutal and heartbreaking tale of what friendship and loyalty mean in 1800's China. Its a time and place I knew little about and I think many westerners would find extremely fascinating.
I have to say in this instance, the first half of the book couldnt hold my attention. In comparison with Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See, its hard to read much about foot binding again. I found myself reading a chapter, then doing something else for a little bit, then reading another chapter and the same. Linjing was wholely unlikeable and a character I just wanted to punch, which makes the rooting for Little Flower that much stronger.
But by the second half of the book, it became a page turner and I sped through to the end. So if you're reading the book and glancing over my review, hang on. It does get pretty wild.
Enjoy! While I think this would be excellent for a book club, we did Lisa See's book this year and my patrons had enough of the topic of footbinding for a while already.
3.5 rounded to 4 for this pre-pub.