Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See

LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane) is a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for June. This novel takes place during the Ming dynasty, in the late 1400s and early 1500s in Wuxi, China. The main character, Tan Yunxian, grows from her milk days as a little girl through her hair-pinning days as a young woman to the rice-and-salt days as a wife and mother and finally to sitting quietly days, the mature years. She shares a deep friendship with a young midwife, Meiling, and they experience some heart rendering events together. Tan Yunxian learns to be a female doctor through her own grandmother and ancestral heritage. Although she is often stifled by societal expectations (some of which, like foot binding, are difficult to read), Tan Yunxian persists, combats smallpox, and even treats others at the royal court. The women who influenced and cared for her, including her mother, called Respectful Lady, her father’s concubine, named Miss Zhao, her maid, Poppy, and even her combative mother-in-law, Lady Kuo, all have a lasting impact on her life. It seems like I am often amazed at how historical fiction novels not only provide vivid details about a time period (and Lisa See is excellent at this), they also frequently illuminate little known heroines. In a recent email, the publisher suggested that readers who wish to learn more about See’s writing process and inspiration, check out this Q&A. There, I learned that Tan Yunxian was a real person who actually did document her cases and that the information, in annotated form, is still available over 500 years later. Interested readers can register to join a discussion with Lisa See on June 27 at noon, Central time or visit her website for further details about LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN. In the meantime, start reading this surprisingly absorbing story.