Sunflower and the Secret Fan is a gripping and tragic tale of tradition and heart-ache in 19th century China. The story focuses on two friends, bond by legal contract to be faithful their entire lives. The story digs deep into the traditions of China, from the horrific pain of foot binding, to believing you are worthless for being born a girl, and above all else, obeying your parents, your spouse, and your mother-in-law.

Lily and Sunflower are very much alike when they bond at the age of 7, but life leads them down very different paths. Lily focuses on the strength of traditions to support her through life's ups and downs, while Sunflower struggles where obedience and tradition fail her. Their differences eventually tear them apart.

This story lets the reader peek into the severe beauty and ugliness of life in China in pre-modern times. Lisa See does an incredible job of letting the reader into Lily's world, feeling the love for her 'latong', suffering with her in the mountains as a refugee, and crying with her over misreading Sunflower's nu-shu message.

This is an incredible story!