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Reply To: Dr. Wong

Amy V — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 13:36:06 +0000

As a female physician I was 100% horrified at the way medicine was practiced esp by Dr Wong. The women had a much better grasp of how the body works, what prevents infection, how to heal than he did. He deserved what he got in the end for sure.

Reply To: Should this book stay on the list?

Amy V — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 12:59:43 +0000

Yes! Excellent portrayal of the area and the time period. Plus a great story too.

Isolation

MelissaFromBookGirlsGuide — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:40:11 +0000

I gasped when Yunxian’s mother was dying, and it was the first time she had seen men outside of her father and brother. Can you imagine being seen as the wealthy elite of society, but then having your world be so, so small? Was anyone else surprised by the isolation of women, not just within their own town or estate, but to a sub-section of their home?

Reply To: Dr. Wong

MelissaFromBookGirlsGuide — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:36:43 +0000

Just the fact that male doctors didn’t touch their patients or talk to them directly was more than my mind could fully process!

Reply To: Yunxian and Meiling

MelissaFromBookGirlsGuide — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:33:24 +0000

I wondered about this too! I was so happy with the ways Yunxian’s grandmother was progressive for her time, and then I would be mad when she fell back in line with tradition in other ways. But I also think that made her a more believable, realistic character. I liked that at times, the author reminded us how different daily life was for Meiling and Yunxian, as that also added believability for me. I do wish we had a little more insight into the thoughts of the grandmother as far as when she encouraged breaks from tradition (like the friendship) vs when she strictly followed it.

Dr. Wong

Patty O’Connor — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 20:36:37 +0000

What are your thoughts on Dr. Wong’s methods for examining and treating women? How important would it have been for women to have access to a female physician?

Yunxian and Meiling

Patty O’Connor — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 20:25:48 +0000

Tan Yunxian and Meiling are lifelong friends. Why do you think Yunxian’s grandmother and Meiling’s mother encouraged them to become friends? Considering their widely divergent backgrounds, how were they able to maintain their friendship?

Reply To: Should this book stay on the list?

Patty O’Connor — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 20:18:43 +0000

I think it is. It is a good portrayal of chinese history and women’s role in it.

Reply To: Foot Binding…

Patty O’Connor — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 20:15:16 +0000

Could not agree more, Melissa. Like you, I knew foot binding happened but had never given any thought to how it was done. Now I know more than I would ever want to know. Have to wonder who ever came up with this torturous practice (probably a man) and why a bound foot would ever be considered sexy.

Foot Binding…

MelissaFromBookGirlsGuide — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:04:16 +0000

My goodness, a lot of this book was educational and shocking to me. I knew foot binding existed from seeing photos a couple of times over the years, but my knowledge was limited.

I was horrified reading so many of the details – from how torturous the process was, to how the young girls were brainwashed, to how difficult it made it to walk, to the final topper – that defiguring yourself was then used for a man’s pleasure in the bedroom.

I thought the juxtaposition of the lower class not having to endure this torture and being looked down upon as being “big footed” was fascinating as well. “