Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a 2005 novel by Lisa See set in nineteenth century China. In her introduction to the novel, See writes that Lily, the narrator, was born in 1823 — "the third year of Emperor Daoguang's reign". The novel begins in 1903, when Lily is 80 years old. It continues on to tell the story of her life from birth, childhood, marriage, and old age. During her lifetime, Lily lives through the reigns of four emperors: Emperor Daoguang (1820–1850); Emperor Xianfeng (1850–1861); Emperor Tongzhi (1861–1875); and Emperor Guangxu (1875–1908).
The novel received an honorable mention from the Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature.
Read more about Snow Flower And The Secret Fan: Plot Summary, Film
Famous quotes containing the words snow, flower, secret and/or fan:
“Snow, snow over the whole land
across all boundaries.
The candle burned on the table,
the candle burned.”
—Boris Pasternak (1890–1960)
“Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day,
To-morrow will be dying.”
—Robert Herrick (1591–1674)
“A man’s true merit ‘tis not hard to find;
But each man’s secret standard in his mind,
That casting-weight pride adds to emptiness,
This, who can gratify, for who can guess?”
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
“Anyone with any real blood in his or her ... veins cannot help being a fan ....Being a true American and being a fan are synonymous.”
—Lulu Glaser (1874–1958)