Book Recommendation

I just finished reading "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See.

I've never read a book like this...and I admit that prior to reading it, I knew essentially nothing about Chinese culture. I learned so much as I watched Lily and Snow Flower go through the rites of girlhood, becoming "old sames", and how that most sacred relationship among women was developed and tried as they matured and changed. I gained a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the social levels in Chinese culture and how difficult it was to improve that standing. So much depended upon the form and smallness of a girl's "golden lilies" (bound feet), family heritage and livelihood.

I found this book a wonderful, though sad, portrait of two girls seeking to better their position in society; sustained and grown by their sacred sisterhood as they reached womanhood.

I'd highly recommend this well-written novel--so good I read it in two days.