Lady Tan's Circle of Women A Novel

This book gave me so many conflicting feelings, but most of all it was heartbreak and anger. I feel for Yunxian Tan and I want to make her a little shrine because she didn't deserve that ending after all she went through.

It was a very good read, even if it was difficult at times to do so and digest it.

An utterly captivating look into the lives of women in 15th century China. Lisa See expertly weaves a tale of love, loss, heartbreak, and healing through the lens of a woman trying to balance the roles of mother, doctor, daughter, and friend.

The triumphs and trials of the characters are those of Ming dynasty women, yet they will be intimately familiar in theme to women throughout history. There is something to be found in this story for those in all stages of womanhood and girlhood.

Interesting but not my cup of tea.

No mud, no lotus

Lisa See - Lady Tan’s Circle of Women . ⭐️⭐️ . I’m a big fan of Lisa See’s books because she usually could cast a great story set in a different era with ease, as if she was also there on that particular place and time and just wrote it down. This book was not the case. . The story is about Tan Yunxian, a female doctor in the 1500s, she had also authored of a medicine book, something that was a rare achievement among women in that era. See tried to reimagine the story surrounding her childhood, family, marriages and intrigues wrapped around it, but somehow it was just dull to me. . Yunxian, born in an upper class family in the late 1400s, learned the ways of medicine from her paternal grandmother, after her own mother passed away in illness. Being a woman healer was definitely a challenge in the world where women weren’t allowed to even peek out of the compounds where they lived, or even communicate with outsiders. Only male doctors were around and they didn’t even attend female patients due to complicated ethical rules. . One thing I learned from this book is that I’m glad I wasn’t born and living in that era . #lisasee #ladytanscircleofwomen #americanauthor #historicalfiction #bookstagram #currentlyreading #2023reads #2023readingchallenge

i regret ignoring this book on my tbr and not reading it for so long. it was such a wild ride through the life of lady tan with so much love, grief, intricacy and inspiration but wouldn't recommend to anyone who doesn't have even a slight interest in chinese history or philosophy as the story is often times heavy with it. for me it was easily a 5 ⭐ read.

Fascinating and impeccably researched but honestly pretty dull.

This was a pleasant listen although it is hard to hear a woman talk about the things society subjected women to as “necessary” and “proof of a woman’s love”. But learning of her struggles and pursuit of medicine, her mission to truly help people when male doctors could not touch and could barely see to women for care was noble and filled with frustration. She became a respected doctor in her own right.

Objectively a very interesting, thoughtful, and inspiring story — especially since it’s about a Chinese female doctor in the 1500s. Worth a read 100%.

the writing didn’t pull me in and felt a little stilted at times or else this would be 4 stars. i still finished it in two sittings, really easy read

         I frequently sit and watch the news and am outraged at the direction recent legislation has gone to oppress women.  It’s frightening.  Women in America have spent a few centuries trying to gain control over their own bodies and to be seen as equal as possible to non-women.  It occurred to me, especially after reading this book, that women have been oppressed far longer than just the existence of the United States, and in cultures other than western societies.  I wish I could figure out at what point in human history women became relegated as the “weaker” of the sexes and undo that nonsense. 

            The family dynamics portrayed in this book baffled me as a woman living in the 21st century.  I couldn’t imagine having to live with my husband’s family and having to come close to worshipping my mother-in-law.  I couldn’t imagine not having a relationship with my own family after getting married.  I certainly couldn’t imagine being told I was no longer able to see my friends.  When Yunxian lived with her father’s parents, her curiosity and desire to learn were fostered and encouraged, enough so that she was able to learn and practice medicine.  Then she got married, was shipped off to her new husband’s family home and was forbidden to continue practicing medicine, especially with her best friend, a midwife who had learned alongside her.  She was encouraged to sew, gossip, and have children.  Interaction with men was limited, almost nonexistent; women were kept locked away until they were necessary.  All of those things baffled me…and don’t even get me started on the foot binding.  Even after trying to find a solid history of how that came about, I wasn’t able to find a solid reason how and why that became the normal standard of beauty. 

            This book was beautifully written, allowing for the oppression to exist while at the same time showing how these women were able to shine despite the adversities (though, I suppose they didn’t really know any different, thus they didn’t see themselves as oppressed).  Yunxian and her bestie were successful in their fields, despite being overshadowed and stolen from by men and having to cater to the needs of others.  This book shows the perseverance women have shown for millennia, in every culture. 

Very good

I learned so much about Chinese culture and medicine from this book. It's inspired by a real life woman physician from 1500s China which is amazing.

I didn't realize that this is based on a real person, so I appreciate how much time and research must have gone into this book, but it was just a little too slow for my liking. See doesn't shy away from showing the brutal realities of a woman during this period, and it was oftentimes hard to read. I thought Yunxian was intelligent and resourceful, and I admired her determination. I liked her relationship with the other women, especially her grandmother and Meiling. It was also interesting to see how medical treatment differed between men and women. Despite the slower pace, I found it to be culturally rich and well-written, and would recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction.

Tan Yunxian is born into a well-to-do family in the 1400s in China. After her mother dies when she is only 8, she is raised by her grandparents and encouraged to learn medicine, which she shows a gift for.

I loved this story based on a female physician practicing women's medicine in China. Despite the hardships and limitations on Yunxian as a woman, she thrived and used her gifts well. This was a well-plotted and beautifully written story.