Enjoyed it: well written, poignant, good storytelling
Recommended.Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I honestly found the characters to be more frustrating than anything else. They stayed in their lanes with minimal variation, except where they randomly fluctuated so much that it just didn't make sense. I got tired of the back and forth between the two characters, how repetitive it was, and how neither yielded. By the time growth happened at the end, I didn't find it compelling because it wasn't really a redemption arc, it just felt contrived. It went from Linjing selling her out for 100% selfish reasons (more than once) to saying "in the true spirit of sisterhood!" over the course of a chapter or so.

This also leads to issues I had with the characters. Little Flower has no agency, to the point where she's just getting yanked around the whole book, reacting to things that happen. Not the most compelling protagonist, especially when she's relatively flat. Then Linjing is so selfish and takes so long to "grow" that she's impossible to like, but not in a compelling way, also making her a weak protagonist and one-dimensional.

Something else I disliked was that it felt like the author read about all the possible bad things that could happen, and decided they all needed to be included in Little Flower's life. At some point, it stops being compelling suffering and just becomes a laundry list of tragedy. The other side of that was that the plot and many of the plot points felt really familiar to me, which made this work even less enjoyable for me.

I'm certainly an outlier on this one, so if the premise and setting sounds interesting to you, definitely give it a go. My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. While it's not a fit for me at this time, I hope to pick it up again in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book about two girls growing up in China during the era of foot binding. One girl is from a wealthy family, the other sold into slavery as her servant. Over the years their relationship endures ups and downs (mostly downs for Little Flower, though she is a resilient person). I liked that the main characters, while each flawed in their own way, were not one dimensional. I could understand even some of Linjing’s actions. I appreciated the epilogue set 6 years in the future. This book was reminiscent of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, which I also loved. I highly recommend it and will be on the lookout for more from this author.

This is a touching tale of friendship and resilience in 19th-century China. Following the lives of Little Flower, a skilled slave girl, and Linjing, her privileged mistress, it beautifully captures their struggles within a rigid social hierarchy. A heartfelt read for fans of historical fiction.

I tried. I really did try to like this book. I read the ebook version. I listened to the audio. I wanted to love it because everyone else was enjoying it so much. But I couldn't connect with these characters or this story, which was extremely slow and uninspiring. I enjoyed the audio, which added a new dimension to the story with the language and pronunciation, but I still could not seem to get invested in the story, which saddens me. I know that this is a good book for many. It just wasn't the right book for me. DNF at 40%.

This book completely pulled me in. Set in 19th-century China, it follows two girls….. Little Flower, who is a servant with bound feet, and Linjing. Linging is a noble whose father refuses to bind her feet. Their lives are deeply intertwined, full of jealousy, betrayal, and a complicated bond that lasts into adulthood.

This story is a heartbreaking look at a world where women had little control over their futures, (or their bodies) no matter their status.

The historical details are fascinating, from foot binding to matchmaking to the clash between tradition and modernity. The story is emotional and immersive, though the pacing felt uneven at times, and the ending was a bit rushed.

This isn’t a light or easy read, but it’s powerful and beautifully written. If you love historical fiction, especially stories about women’s lives in China’s past, this one is worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing

I finished the book, but I can't say that I was satisfied. The two main characters annoyed me with their actions and relationship with each other and the ending tied things up a little too neatly for my liking.

Oh my goodness – I am so happy that I was offered a spot on this blog tour because I loved this novel so much! I’m a huge fan of Lisa See’s historical novels of China and this novel reminded me of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, one of my favorite books ever. It is beautifully written and with interesting and multi-dimensional characters. I found the story fascinating, though sad at times, and I gained so many insights into Chinese cultures, and particularly into the systems of privilege and stations that existed.

Thank you so much for including me on the tour!

This book was just fantastic. I felt like I traveled to this time, and was walking alongside the characters. It was tough to put down, and I just couldn’t stop reading.

Following Little Flower and Linjing, I felt for both characters. They both were in places based circumstances and society, with little hope for change. Was I a fan of them both throughout? No. Definitely not. But I really felt for them.

And the ending. It was just….the perfect ending for this amazing story. This was a book that I’m still thinking about and remember vividly. A fantastic historical fiction novel.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from Sphere and Jane Yang through NetGalley. However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.

I have always found novels about China's past (especially when centered on women) to be tragic. This book is no different. I found the ending to be less bleak than others though it's somewhat rushed and told to us instead of shown (the only written pitfall of this novel.) The book is beautifully written with a complex character and one that takes too long to grow and develop but that is human nature. Some of us are forced to grow up too soon and some of us never grow up. The Lotus Shoes follows two girls as they grow up is a China that is joining the modern world but fighting to keep their customs and these Little Finger and Linjing are trapped in the fight.

This book transports you to 1800s China. It follows the stories of Little Flower (sold to a wealthy family when 6 to be a muizai (slave) to Linjing) and Linjing (girl from wealthy family). The lives of these girls become intertwined forever when Little Flower enters Linjing’s household. The book follows the girls as they grow up and experience the trials and tribulations of life when born into such paralleling families. It is a story of heartbreak, betrayal, and ultimately love and forgiveness. I loved how the author used the Chinese language and accompanying dictionary throughout her writing. You will be horrible stricken by the details about foot binding and the treatment of women. If you enjoy being transported to another time and place you will enjoy this well researched and written book.

When I was young I read a book called Ties that Bind Ties That Break. That book opened my eyes to the tradition of foot binding. The Lotus Shoes felt like the grown up, follow up to that book. I really liked the juxtaposition of classic Chinese beliefs with the encroaching Christian beliefs. I thought this was a very vulnerable and interesting look at honor, tradition and a young woman climbing out of the life that she was born into.

Some reads are mirrors and some reads are windows. This book was a great window for me to learn about something I was unfamiliar with. I will be seeking out more books from this author in the future.

1800s China. Little Flower is sold by her mother to the Fong family to be a muizai (maidservant) to young Linjing Fong. When Little Flower shows herself to have immense skills with embroidery, jealousy plants itself in Linjing. As these girls grow up, we see those lasting effects of jealousy and how bonded these two lives are destined to be.

I looove a women-centric historical fiction and I definitely got that in this story. I really enjoyed the picture this book painted of what the landscape of the mid to late 1800s looked like in China as forced westernization was growing and in many cases bucking against old long held traditions and how that made for unrest even between family members.

I was so interested to see where the lives of these two girls went. There were some turns I wasn’t expecting! I loved how much of this story was inspired by the author’s own family members and their stories.

I so wanted to love the book because the overall premise sounded so interesting. However ,
I found the first 150 or so pages to be really slow and they could have been edited down considerably … and more details/ background on the “scandal” would have been more interesting then two perspectives of the same story. Perhaps a third POV in the first half of the book would have made it more interesting.
The second half moved much faster and was a bit more interesting albeit predictable .at times . For a book so long the ending kinda of felt rushed

My rating 3:5 ⭐️

I’m disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this book as I thought I would. The premise of the story is good but it fell flat, I found myself bored and considered not finishing it multiple times.

While I am glad I finished the book, I would probably recommend other books from the same time period to friends, or mention that it’s a good story but perhaps a bit wordy.

Thank you NetGalley for this book, I wish I had a more favourable review.

Thank you NetGalley and Park Row for allowing me to read and review this debut novel by Jane Yang.

1800 China. Two girls, one noble born, one a maidservant lives collide and evolve as they grow together into women in a society where few were permitted to make choices to control their destiny.

This novel is very character driven and rich with details. In parts the story is slow paced and a little long winded at 368 pages and I found myself starting to skim. However I appreciated the historical references and information in regards to traditions, superstitions and culture.

A solid first novel from J. Yang!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and the author for an advanced reader copy of this book.

The Lotus Shoes is a beautifully written novel about two women, born of different circumstances in a culture and system meant to oppress women. In this book we come across Linjing, a lady of high class with a father willing to abandon the traditional foot binding in order to advance his station, and Little Flower, who was sold into slavery to be Linjing's muizai.

We follow them from their childhood into their adulthood as they navigate the social pressures and expectations of women, trying to break the cycle but also finding themselves stuck in it.

This a great historical fiction.

In late 19th-century China, Little Flower’s life is one of extreme poverty. Her mother binds her feet at a very young age to elevate Little Flower’s status. Perfect “golden lilies” will mean Little Flower is of good character and have a better life and marriage. When her father dies, her mother’s only option is to sell Little Flower so what meager resources they have can go to pay Little Brother’s apprenticeship. Girls are useless and expendable; Little Brother has a chance at a better life. So, at the age of six, Little Flower becomes a muizai (slave) to the prosperous Fong family to serve the daughter, Linjing.

Linjing’s father forbids the binding of Linjing’s feet, because China is moving toward a modernized future. This means accepting Westerners and their ways, and foot-binding will become the past. This practice is so valued by Chinese society, Linjing is desolate but must obey. A muizai cannot have bound feet while her mistress has shameful, big feet, so Little Flower is forced to remove her bindings, leaving her feet badly deformed. With great sorrow and humility, Little Flower learns to navigate her life of slavery. Linjing is jealous of Little Flower’s superior needlework and the extra attention it brings her. She is cruel to Little Flower, and their relationship is contentious. Upheaval in the Fong family turns Linjing’s future grim. As the girls grow into women, they refuse to surrender to the roles they were allotted – each in their own way.

Little Flower and Linjing are fully dimensional, strong characters who change and grow with life’s hard knocks. This novel is rich in plot and family drama, including fascinating details of Chinese culture, the devalued lives of Chinese women, and Chinese feminist history – an unforgettable, impressive work based on the author’s ancestral history.

Historical Novels Review, Februrary 2025 (Editors' Choice)

The Lotus Shoes
Jane Yang

A Tale of Resilience and Betrayal in 19th-Century China

1800s China. Tightly bound feet, or “golden lilies, are the mark of an honorable woman, eclipsing beauty, a rich dowry, and even bloodline in the marriage stakes. When her mother sells Little Flower into slavery as a maidservant—a muizai—to Linjing, a daughter of the prominent Fong family, she clings to the hope that one day her golden lilies will lead her out of slavery.

Not only does Little Flower have bound feet, uncommon for a muizai, but she is extraordinarily gifted at embroidery, a skill associated with the highest class of a lady. Resentful of her talents, Linjing does everything in her power to thwart Little Flower’s escape.

But when scandal strikes the Fongs, both women are cast out to the Celibate Sisterhood, where Little Flower’s artistic prowess catches the eye of a nobleman. His attention threatens not only her improved status but her life—the Sisterhood punishes disobedience with death. And if Linjing finds out, will she sabotage Little Flower to reclaim her power, or will she protect her?

Yang masterfully depicts the harsh realities of foot binding, servitude, and the complexities of female relationships in a male-dominated society. The historical details, especially regarding silk-making and social hierarchies, add depth to the narrative. The Lotus Shoes is an empowering story of two women from different worlds, bound by fate and tested by betrayal, ambition, and love. It’s a stunning debut that lingers long after the final page. 5 stars.

** My thanks to the publisher for a complimentary review copy. The opinions are my own.