Play Book Tag discussion

This book of life-long friendship is set in 19th century rural China.

At age 7 the two girls, Lily and Snow Flower, sign a contract to become "old sames" or laotong. This friendship is intended to be closer than their eventual marriages and children, and to survive any hardship and any distance.

The book is a fascinating peek into the customs of footbinding and arranged marriages.

@Sue - you and I read so many of the same books at about the same time!

I think this is Lisa See's best book - she not only tells us of the customs of the time but demonstrates the misinformation that each girl gave to her partner. Did you read the book? The civil war time, the time when Lily was dying and her "best friend" would not go to her. Then the sorrow and sadness at the end when the narrator was regretting her actions with Lily. The book is about the customs of the time, it is about love, betrayal, status, friendship, the way women were treated. Please anyone who is reading this: Give the entire book a try. It has won many awards, is about people and what they do or do not do to each other. The pain we cause without meaning to do so. There is much more to the book than Sue writes.

Sue wrote: "This book of life-long friendship is set in 19th century rural China.

At age 7 the two girls, Lily and Snow Flower, sign a contract to become "old sames" or laotong. This friendship is intended to..."

I cannot believe you read the book and this is all you got from it? I am not trying to start a fight - but I believe your brief review is a great disservice to a wonderful book. Perhaps check the reviews of others on Goodreads. peace, janz

Peacejanz wrote: "Sue wrote: "This book of life-long friendship is set in 19th century rural China.

At age 7 the two girls, Lily and Snow Flower, sign a contract to become "old sames" or laotong. This friendship is..."

I'm happy that Sue read it and was able to do a brief review.

Sometimes for whatever reason, we don't manage to give a lengthy review and it isn't required.

This book has been reviewed quite a bit recently and perhaps Sue thought she had nothing more to add, perhaps she didn't have time.

Thank you Booknblues for your comment. Yes, sometimes we have less time and shorten our reviews. However, her review gave almost nothing about the book - two young girls, you can get this from any review of the book, also the footbinding (all the reviews mention this). However the last sentence about arranged marriages and footbinding is just a tiny part of this book. Also could come from the cover of the book. I believe she did not read it. There is great competition on Goodreads for folks to read so many books in a genre or in a time period and challenges from others, and we get 3 or 4 sentences from someone else's review. Pardon me for being an old schoolteacher and recognizing when the writer has not read the complete book. We also have DNF, DNR when we are too busy to read a book. I just checked the reviews on Goodreads and the people who downrated it gave reasons. Those who gave it a 4 wrote a substantial amount about what they liked or did not like. I appreciate a good review, one that gives me insight and tells me why the reader gave the rating. I repeat - Sue did not read this book. Just makes me more aware about reading any of her reviews. I repeat - the only contest about books you should have is with yourself. What did you get from the book? Why does the book have value to you and maybe not to others. I am finished with this. I will not bother you anymore. Life is not a contest. peace, janz