In 1800’s China a peasant girl has her feet bound. Little Flower’s mother is determined her daughter will have golden lilies like the nobility do. Hoping her daughters feet will give her a chance at a good marriage she sells her daughter to a noble and wealthy family, to be a personal servant to their daughter, Linjing, in hopes they will one day release her into marriage. For the rest of their lives the two girls futures will be linked. As their fortunes rise and fall the one constant will be each other.
I’ve read a few books featuring foot binding and this one takes place right around the time China was looking to modernize and a few families were starting to do away with it. I think @janeyangwriting did a great job capturing the intricacies and difficulties that arise from a system designed to keep woman competitors and how they will uphold the very thing that keeps them down. And also the strength of those who overcome the obstacles it throws in their way, again and again. It was hard to put down and also hard to read at points, this author did not shy away from the hard truths of what happened to woman who tried to break free.
Thank you to @netgalley and @parkrowbooks for letting me have an advanced copy for review. Look for #thelotusshoes Jan 25 2025
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I was perfectly entranced by The Lotus Shoes - I will be making it a staff pick when it releases. I truly felt that I knew Little Flower and Linjing, and could not help but to root for them both. I will be looking forward to Jane Yang's future works.