Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See

119 reviews

erinwolf1997's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Infertility, Sexual content, Torture, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child death, Infidelity, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

ixris's review against another edition

adventurous informative reflective fast-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? It's complicated

4.25

I went into this knowing very little about Ming dynasty Chinese medicine. The book is extremely well researched and based on the life of real-life Lady Tan, who treated women where it would be unseemly for a man to touch them. 

This is not well hinted in the copy, but this book is VERY interested in pregnancy, being pregnant, bearing sons, etc. There are a lot of sequences involving childbirth, and some of them are intense. 

That being said, the book is about women and women friendships. The friendship between Lady Tan and Meiling is so wonderful and believable, in all its sweetness and rawness. That is the heart of this book. 

Solidly women's fiction historical, it was highly recommended by the indie bookseller where I bought my copy. I have to say I deeply agree. It was a refreshing change from what I've been reading lately! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

dmsmith914's review against another edition

emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Gore, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

rnhgg's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death, Blood, and Death of parent

minniepauline's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative sad slow-paced

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

3.75

I liked this novel, and I learned a lot from it. But I didn’t felt drawn in and immersed in the way I was hoping to feel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

tosy's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Torture, Blood, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content

mdwsn27's review against another edition

informative mysterious slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Fatphobia, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

ashima25's review against another edition

adventurous informative fast-paced

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

4.0

 A beautifully written and insightful novel that gave me a unique perspective on womanhood from a conservative background. As a young unmarried woman myself, I found the details on marriage, moving into the in-laws' house, pregnancy and post-pregnancy very informative and relished the atmosphere created by See, almost as preview of what could potentially come, albeit in vastly different circumstances and backgrounds. There was added delight in reading the Chinese euphemisms  for topics often brushed aside—such as moon water for periods and honey pot for chamber pots. 

While stronger character development would have further strengthened the novel, overall, it is an immersive read, rich in detail and written with great sensitivity in building authentic and fully-realized female characters of that time.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Child death and Infertility

Minor: Sexual content

ejhaber's review against another edition

emotional informative medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Medical content

Moderate: Child death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent

kmv0110's review against another edition

adventurous informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy