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A review by ixris
Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See
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!
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic