Introverted Bear

I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I couldn't put it down and kept reading chapter after chapter, staying up until 4 A.M. to finish it. On the other hand, the main character's actions were disappointing. Most of the younger characters start out as something different; they're rambunctious, active, and playful, but later they just turn into stereotypical old people, especially Lily, the main character.

The hardships of the girls kept me turning the pages. Some of their problems, such as foot binding, are gruesome. Their flight to avoid war also adds to the tension and page turning aspect of the story. However, Lily can be a pain sometimes. She seems to close herself off from the world and become shallow, sticking to tradition although her laotong, Snow Flower, strives to create her own path within the traditional structure.

Part of me had to put away my 21st century view of women to deal with this story. The two girls couldn't do much to control their own fates, and historically, that's the way women were treated. I think Lisa See does a great job with the historical elements and not breaking her character's point-of-view. However, that's also the downside of the story. When the character does have a break through, it tends to be small, weak ones as if there's nothing Lily can do to change the past or take hold of the future. She does do a few things to change and control her children's future, but it's as if she gives up on making her life better, just like her mother does when Lily is little. Some of the character's development tends to be superficial.

Snow Flower is probably my favorite character because she tends to be a bit more unconventional, and she stands up for herself by forming friendships with other women when her laotong doesn't treat her kindly.

It's a good quick light read, and I'd recommend it for people interested in historical Chinese stories.