Historical · Literary
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
In nineteenth-century rural China, two girls are bound as lifelong friends and write to each other in a secret women's script. Footbinding, marriage and class bring a painful rift.
Facts last checked 2026-10-17
- First published
- 2005
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 258
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you like intimate, emotional historical fiction about women's lives and friendship.
Skip this if you want a cheerful read or are uneasy with scenes of footbinding.
The feel
Content warnings
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Quick answers about Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
- What is Snow Flower and the Secret Fan about?
- In nineteenth-century rural China, two girls are bound as lifelong friends and write to each other in a secret women's script. Footbinding, marriage and class bring a painful rift.
- Who should read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan?
- Read it if you like intimate, emotional historical fiction about women's lives and friendship. Skip it if you want a cheerful read or are uneasy with scenes of footbinding.
- How long and how fast is Snow Flower and the Secret Fan?
- It is a slow-paced, short read of about 258 pages, first published in 2005.
- Does Snow Flower and the Secret Fan have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Abuse, Death, Child death, Domestic violence.
- Can I borrow Snow Flower and the Secret Fan for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Snow Flower and the Secret Fan; the borrow button above searches it for you.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
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| Ebook | ||
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| Audiobook | ||
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