When I first started reading this book, I was like, oh no, I don't care to hear about smoking housewives with cheating husbands and problematic children. And I especially don't like books where I need to draw up a character chart with dotted and dashed lines to clarify who's who. However, since my friend gave the book an enthusiastic 10-star recommendation, I figure I will read further. At least it's about a book club.

Glad I did. There were moments I bursted out laughing, and moments my heart felt heavy. You never quite know what the next chapter will bring, except that it would be a good read, as you follow the five women through the ups and downs of their lives. Grant is definitely not the only one wanting a membership in.

Such a story! It's really moving. I have to give credit that this is one book where I simply hate the protagonist but love the story.
The story falters a bit int he middle, when the author fills in the blank between what happened after he arrived in U.S. But overall, it's an excellent book that will captivate anybody.

The author very successfully created May as a very real woman, passionate, intelligent and herotic. So real I have a hard time believing she is fictional. Nothing escapes her observant eyes and lively pen as she captures her journey into the west and the daily lives of the tribe she lives in. The funny moments made me chuckle, the sad ones made my heart heavy. And heavy it did get when I finally closed the book. (I hope this is not a spoiler, but frankly I haven't read a Native American story of that era that was a happy ending, except Disney's Pocahontas. How the west was "won" was a bloody part of history IMHO.)

I cried so much while reading the book my husband got quite alarmed. I tried to explain to him what the story was about (as I truly want to share it, though it was a miserable attempt) and that started another round of tears and sniffles.

This book is hauntingly beautiful, as exquisite as a handcrafted fan, as delicate as the nushu, and as intricate as an embroidery. Every time I opened the pages, I fell mesmerized into the world of Lily and Snow Flower. The writer spent a lot of time and work on researches and it shows, as rather than portraying a generic Chinese village, she paints a vivid picture of the special locale and its unique culture.

I didn't read Secret Lives of Bees but due to all the hype I picked this one up. Story is not exactly bad, just isn't captivating and not what I would call exceptional, compare to tons of fictions out there.