This book is set in 1800s China, and centres how women were treated during the time period.

This book is a dual perspective book, we follow Little Flower, a child who is sold to a wealthy family by her own mother, and LinJing the daughter of the family who bought Little Flower.

Before she was sold, Little Flower's mother bound her feet into "golden lillies", this is something we would consider to be barbaric however at the time it was considered the sign of a "lady" and your ability to embroider was directly connected with how small your golden lilliesare. Her mother instills in Little Flower the importance of looking after her feet and keeping them bound as tightly as possible.

Once she is sold to the Fong family, Little Flower becomes LinJing's muizai, essentially her handmaiden. LinJing is jealous of Little Flower's golden lillies, among other things, due to her father choosing not to bind her feet in order to garner a promotion through arranging a marriage for LinJing to a more progressive family and wanting LinJing to travel to Western countries.

There are many unexpected twists and turns. The story's main focus is following the two girls as they grow up together, trying to navigate a society that has no place for them and sees them as objects to be bought and traded.

The only problem I really had with the book was the inconsistency in naming. I suspect this was because the names, had they been written in Chinese, may have been more difficult to pronounce, however it broke immersion for me going between traditional names and translated names.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

'An astonishing story set in 1800s China. Little Flower is sold into slavery, and Linjing into marriage . . .' And so the story begins and it is a story that I could not stop reading. This book is dramatic, emotional and at times heart-breaking. This book will take you on a journey like none you have ever been on.

I loved the characters and the interaction between the two women. I am in awe of the author writing such a wonderful debut, so talented and such a well written book/story. I can't wait to see what this author writes next as I can imagine her become a favourite of mine.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

'You are low-born, I'm a lady. These facts are as solid as the ground we stand on'.

Little Flower may have been sold a a muizai into the Fong household but she knows her worth. Not only did her mother tell her, before leaving her, she took care to bind Little Flower's feet from the age of four to ensure she ended up with perfect golden lilies, like a lady. Linjing knows her worth, not only is she her father's favourite, she lives in comfort, surrounded by servants, including one of her very own - Little Flower. However, when her father decides to leave her feet unbound, in a bid for modernity, her bubble is burst. How can she be a lady, and have large feet? How can she be a master to Little Flower and her golden lilies? A story of jealousy, integrity, graciousness, love and resilience unfolds as both girls grow up together, stuck together, and navigate their rapidly changing world.

'The Lotus Shoes' takes us to late 19th Century China, when tradition bumps with Western influence and the cosmopolitan melting pots of Shanghai and Hong Kong burgeon. Told in the alternate POVs of Little Flower and Linjing, you can feel their frustration with their lot; imprisoned by the ideals of the society, class, and gender of that time. The story fully immerses you within the time and place and I just loved learning more about the cultural history of China as well as following the girls' journey towards their true selves.

This is a wonderful debut novel. If you loved Lisa See's, Lady Tan's Circle of Women, you're sure to eat this right up too.

'It takes immense courage to do what is right to save one you, even if it pains others'.

Beautiful story and writing. Great description and insight into life in the 1800s in Canton. So much character development and growth through the twists and turns they faced in life, with a very touching end. I wanted more!

Reminded me of Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, which I read around this time last year and absolutely adored.

I did struggle a little during my read with the Cantonese Jyutping words, as they were often slotted into the story without explanation. Only after my read did I realise there was a glossary at the end, which wasn’t very accessible on an eBook unfortunately. 🥲

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & NZ for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.