Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See

7 reviews

story_singer_101's review against another edition

challenging emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a well-done book that takes the reader into the life and world of 15th-century China--with all its beauty and flaws. I appreciated how this book delved into Chinese medicine and that it didn't shy away from or romanticize the problems that 15th-century China faced. This is a book that deals with topics like foot-binding, concubines, slavery, pregnancy trauma, sickness, and sexism. It is also a book about the humanity of women, the value of female friendships, and the ways that women shine even in highly repressive contexts. I had been looking forward to reading it for a while now, and I'm glad I finally did. It's a well-told story, and I appreciated how the perspectives of the characters didn't seem to be too highly modernized to make it more palatable to a modern audience. That same lack of modernization, though, may cause pretty strong culture shock for some readers, especially if they aren't already aware of some of the cultural practices and issues of the time. So read the book. It's worth it. Just make sure you can handle it first.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

author_d_r_oestreicher's review against another edition

dark informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See is a historical novel. It follows Tan Yunxian, a female doctor in 15th-century China, through the four stages of her life from age 8 (milk days) to age 15 (hair pinning days-awaiting marriage) to rice-and-salt days (“the most important years in a woman’s life. They are when I will be busy with wife and mother duties”) and finally sitting quietly days. 15th century China was not a good time for women, even high-ranking women like Tan Yunxian. This was a time of foot binding for high-ranking women and domination by husbands whether she was a wife, concubine, or servant. Lady Tan’s circle of women does their best to support each other in the strange misogynistic world. 

 

For my extended notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2024/09/lady-tans-circle-of-women-by-lisa-see.html 

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for Omega Cats Press books and book recommendations. 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See is a historical novel. It follows Tan Yunxian, a female doctor in 15th-century China, through the four stages of her life from age 8 (milk days) to age 15 (hair pinning days-awaiting marriage) to rice-and-salt days (“the most important years in a woman’s life. They are when I will be busy with wife and mother duties”) and finally sitting quietly days. 15th century China was not a good time for women, even high-ranking women like Tan Yunxian. This was a time of foot binding for high-ranking women and domination by husbands whether she was a wife, concubine, or servant. Lady Tan’s circle of women does their best to support each other in the strange misogynistic world. For my extended notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2024/09/lady-tans-circle-of-women-by-lisa-see.html Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for Omega Cats Press books and book recommendations.

back2lovingbooksmore's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of my favorite books, I think this should be required reading in schools because it’s so informative about older history and the roles women played in it, and it emphasizes the importance of love and solidarity between women, no matter their status

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexism, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Classism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Vomit, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual violence and Torture

Very graphic miscarriage

hjb_128's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

savheath's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, and Torture

ariellovespizza's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Medical content, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Abortion, and Classism