Lisa See is one of my favorite authors of all time. She has done it again and created another enthralling novel. In Lady Tan's Circle of Women, we are transported to 15th century China where we follow the lives of Yunxian, a young woman studying medicine under her esteemed grandmother and Meiling a young midwife.

This was an exquisitely researched and well written novel based on the true story of Yunxian. I savored every second of this book...I did not want it to end.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this beautiful book!!

I’ve always been interested in Chinese medicine, and in the past few months, I’ve read a few titles related to the topic. But this by far was one of the most well-researched and compelling novels I have read. Every detail was well-researched, and you can just feel the amount of work that went into writing this story. Though this was my first novel actually from Lisa See and I originally had doubts about how it would be written, when I tell you I was glued to my kindle, I mean it. This book literally draws you in from the first page with the amount of detail See creates. Her research methods: from reading the direct transcription of Tan Yunxian’s medical records to her deep research into the tea properties and sources in 15th-century China, every word, every detail, and every object was brought into the picture with their backgrounds in mind.

The amount of detail does not take away from the fantasy See portrays, though. From the start we are whisked away into gardens upon gardens of mystery and drama, each with its own characters, settings, and relationships. The creation of individual environments combines together to make a blend of amazing world-building and story. In See’s world, every character has a beginning and end— there’s no life left incomplete. The form of the story, which takes place throughout Yunxian’s life, also showed us her progression as both a woman and a doctor. We truly see her growth throughout the book. One of my favorite quotes, “no blood, no lotus” shows exactly this. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is not just about Yunxian’s journey in medicine but also about her perseverance as a woman.

If you were a fan of books like Strike the Zither or A Magic Steeped in Poison, this is definitely a perfect read for you! The novel will release in June and I’m so excited for the story to be shared with so many others. So grateful to Lisa See, Scribner Books, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. In this novel, Lisa See takes us back to a time where male doctors could not actually examine female patients. Out of necessity some women start training their own daughters to help other pregnant women. As is always true for Lisa See's books, this was meticulously researched and provided great insight into 15th century China.

This book wasn't always for me, there was a lot of focus on childbirth that I personally didn't care for, but I should've realized it'd be a big factor beforehand. However, Lisa See has done something wonderful here, breathing life into Lady Tan and giving a personal bent to her work, which we still have and was largely recorded in a book that she published during her lifetime. See mentions that while we have her cases, very little is know of her personal life, outside of what is mentioned in the writing of her male relations. See has done a fantastic job fleshing out Lady Tan as a character, giving her a strong personality that reflects what we can glean of her character from her case book. I was also excited to learn that See used real cases from Tan's published works as the framework for the medical work we see from her in the novel. I liked the cast of characters that filled out the novel, particularly Tan's friend Meiling, and I felt like See gave a good glimpse of what life was like for women in elite families during the time. This was a well researched book, and it was fascinating to learn more about Lady Tan and her life.

Excellent read! I love how Lisa See transports you back in time. The characters are perfect and you can't help but be invested in them. A must read on so many levels!

Another of Lisa See's books that I loved from cover to cover. It's heartwarming and satisfying to read about the beautiful bonds of the women who support each other. But it's also sad and incomprehensible to read about horrific customs like footbinding.

I can't imagine breaking the bones in my feet, so I can marry well. Any more than I can imagine bending to the will of my mother-in-law or purchasing a concubine for my husband. Yet all this and more are part of a woman's life in 15th-century China.

Lisa See completely transports you to this era and shows you what it's like to be a mother, daughter, wife, daughter-in-law, and friend. She shows you the harshness of some relationships and the beauty of others. In addition, she excels at demonstrating the life of women in an elite family.

And finally, she allows you to understand that although most women accept the archaic customs and ideals, some, like Lady Tan, long for more and fight the battle to break free.

I enjoyed every minute of this book and highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for providing a complimentary copy of the book.

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women follows the life throughout its many stages of the titular character. This well-researched work of historical fiction had well developed characters that left me thinking about them and their lives. It’s especially interesting that the novel is based on a real woman, although it is a work of fiction.

Lisa See did a great job capturing my attention and getting me to really care about the life of a woman from so long ago. It makes you see that despite time and despite social status, all women are going through and have been going through similar problems throughout the millennia. Overall I loved this book!

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women an enthralling story of women supporting women and was inspired by the true story of a woman physician from 15th-century China. I found the resemblance of the struggles of women in the 1400’s compared to the struggles women still face today startling.

The daily life of the different women depicted in this book was fascinating. The details of foot binging in particular were heart wrenching. I enjoyed witnessing Tan and Meiling’s friendship grow and cheered them on throughout the book.

This is the third book I’ve read by Lisa See and would highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read and review this book.