#jane yang

[razreads]

We cannot let them win [...] They own our bodies but they will never have our souls. Those are ours, always.

Jane Yang, The Lotus Shoes

[aryastarkart]

Arya Stark by Jane Yang

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Review: The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang

I'll admit that I have not read much historical fiction set outside of the West, so I knew that The Lotus Shoes would be eye-opening and educational for me. I definitely learned a lot and I was certainly swept in the story that carried those lessons.

Little Flower was sold as a child to the Fong family as a muizai and she has spent her life as the handmaiden of Linjing. From her arrival, Linjing has been jealous of Little Flower's bound lotus feet, so she has always done everything she can to stop her muizai leaving her side and rising through the ranks of society. As they grow older, Little Flower and Linjing alternate between friendship and rivalry until a family secret is revealed and the girls must decide whether they're to stick together or pull apart.

The muizai and service staff are aware of their place in the household and although they are kept in comfort, there is an awareness that the chances of them advancing beyond their current lot is small. The longer that Little Flower spends as a muizai, the more she begins to behave as if she is a useful, unimportant object.

Linjing's disappointment at not having her feet bound as she always assumed she would is apparent. The idea of girls being disappointed that they won't be forced to go through such a painful, permanently disfiguring ordeal shows how much conditioning has happened and the value placed on female pain.

Of course, it's no surprise to learn that men are treated with a lot more forgiveness and respect. Women can't afford to make a mistake and image is everything. This is definitely a running theme and it's harrowing to realise how little we've moved on from this hundreds of years later.

Groups of women who choose to live outside of the rules of society are accepted as long as they refrain from sex. So much weight is put on women's sexual behaviour and there is an expectation that when women abstain from marriage or having children, there needs to be a strong, proper reason for it in order for it to not be considered odd. It reminds me of how adult single women are still treated all over the world. If they're not actively seeking a husband, it must be for religious reasons otherwise they're an outcast and socially weird. I like to think this is an attitude that is in decline now but it's definitely still there.

The Lotus Shoes is a story that picks you up and takes you on a journey through these girls' lives. The writing kept me engaged and the depth of the research that went into this book continued to intrigue me. I had never really thought about feet binding before and how this incredibly painful ordeal was actually a source of envy amongst women at one time. It's a powerful, sweeping story that has so much in it including characters that you truly become invested in.

[rhetoricandlogic]

The Lotus Shoes

Written by Jane Yang

Review by Janice Ottersberg

In late 19th-century China, Little Flower’s life is one of extreme poverty. Her mother binds her feet at a very young age to elevate Little Flower’s status. Perfect “golden lilies” will mean Little Flower is of good character and have a better life and marriage. When her father dies, her mother’s only option is to sell Little Flower so what meager resources they have can go to pay Little Brother’s apprenticeship. Girls are useless and expendable; Little Brother has a chance at a better life. So, at the age of six, Little Flower becomes a muizai (slave) to the prosperous Fong family to serve the daughter, Linjing.

Linjing’s father forbids the binding of Linjing’s feet, because China is moving toward a modernized future. This means accepting Westerners and their ways, and foot-binding will become the past. This practice is so valued by Chinese society, Linjing is desolate but must obey. A muizai cannot have bound feet while her mistress has shameful, big feet, so Little Flower is forced to remove her bindings, leaving her feet badly deformed. With great sorrow and humility, Little Flower learns to navigate her life of slavery. Linjing is jealous of Little Flower’s superior needlework and the extra attention it brings her. She is cruel to Little Flower, and their relationship is contentious. Upheaval in the Fong family turns Linjing’s future grim. As the girls grow into women, they refuse to surrender to the roles they were allotted – each in their own way.

Little Flower and Linjing are fully dimensional, strong characters who change and grow with life’s hard knocks. This novel is rich in plot and family drama, including fascinating details of Chinese culture, the devalued lives of Chinese women, and Chinese feminist history – an unforgettable, impressive work based on the author’s ancestral history.