Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review .

A heartbreaking historical drama following two young girls in a changing China at the cusp of the 20th century - one a noble, another her indentured slave - and the highs and lows of their lives. While the writing is quite straightforward and at times even simple, something about the story of Little Flower and her mistress Lady Linjing is so compelling and captivating that I found it hard to put the book down. I found myself a lot more sympathetic towards Little Flower's character, but enjoyed the moments of seeing things from Linjing's POV as well - it added layers to the story to be able to see what was essentially the antagonist's story too.

I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good, sweeping historical read - and anyone with an interest in China's recent history. The book is set at a time where the empire had its feet in two worlds: one of the past, with strict rules of hierarchy including expectations on women and girls; another looking to a future of change and huge social upheaval.

Check trigger warnings: this book includes graphic descriptions of foot binding and abuse.

Starting the year with this sisterhood saga historical fiction set in late 19th century China felt important and apt. In The Lotus Shoes, Little Flower is raised in a loving, but poor, family. From the age of four, her mother has diligently taught her her worth in the world, making sure to carefully bind her feet to ensure she’d have the perfect ‘golden lilies’ – a ladylike sign that you’re worthy of being married. But, Little Flower is soon sold as a ‘muizai’ (a domestic servant in an affluent household; directly translating to ‘little sister’ in Cantonese) to the Fong household.

Linjing also knows her worth. Born to a wealthy family, she is her father’s favourite and has servants to cater to her every whim and, soon, Little Flower becomes her newest. Yet when her beloved father decides to leave her feet unbound – making a case for modern values – Linjing’s perfect bubble is burst. How can she be a lady and master to Little Flower and her golden lilies?

Beautifully told in lush, meandering prose, The Lotus Shoes charters the story of Little Flower and Linjing as their worlds converge in a tangle of resilience, self-belief, jealousy, sisterhood, femininity and womanhood in a fast-changing new world between Shanghai and Hong Kong. For Yang’s debut, this is a brilliantly immersive, moving tale. I had a few issues with pacing, but this is quickly patched over by the incredibly sharp vignettes Yang paints to deepen the story and paint China’s cultural history, and its societal and gender values. This is a dual perspective story, which of course might not work for everybody, but does a great job in highlighting the marked frustration of each character. A gorgeous, moving story.

This is a great read, a new take on a story of Chinese foot-binding, with Linjing encouraged by her father to adopt natural feet rather than having her feet bound into the 'golden lilies' so prized by society.

Linjing comes to resent her big feet, and particularly the golden lilies of her new maid Little Flower, and her cruelty to her maid because of this is horrid.

Sold by her mother, Little Flower finds life as a maid hard, and her journey through life alongside Linjing is one they must both adapt to and learn to bear, as a fall from grace becomes something they must both acknowledge.

I found the ending interesting and satisfying, and the characters are well-written and jump off the page; Jane Yang is certainly an author to look out for again.

As a child, Little Flower is sold to Linjing's wealthy family to become a muizai. In a fit of childish jealousy over her new handmaiden's ladylike bound feet and talent for embroidery, Linjing ensures Little Flower can never leave her to ascend in society.
Despite their starkly different places in the Fong household, over the years the two girls must work together to secure both their futures through Linjing's marriage. As the two grow up, they are by turns bitter rivals and tentative friends.

This was an interesting read, showing the pain and suffering of life in ancient China. It reminds me of Wild Swans in its honest depiction. I did get a little confused as to who was speaking as the story is described from different viewpoints but I found it well written.

The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang is a deeply immersive work of historical fiction inspired in part by the author's family history. In the book we follow the intertwined fates of two women from childhood and see how their relationship evolves over time. Little Flower and Linjing come from very different families. Little Flower is sold into servitude as a child despite her mother's wishes for a brighter future for her, while Linjing's progressive father is determined to defy social conventions when it comes to Linjing and her future marriage. Little Flower is bought by Linjing's family and from the beginning the relationship between the two young girls is fractured by jealousy and resentment. However their fates are bound closely together and when Linjing realises how smart and capable Little Flower is she is determined to keep her by her side, no matter the cost to Little Flower's own future happiness. It seems like these two women are destined to hurt each other over and over again but fate works in mysterious ways and the bitter rivals become tentative friends.
I loved this book which swept me away to another time and place, to a society and culture that is so different from my own. The prose is lush and evocative and there is a real attention to detail that really made me curious to learn more about the history I was reading about. The characters feel very real, they have flaws and fears as well as dreams and desires. It was not hard to feel sympathy for Little Flower but I was surprised by how much sympathy I also had for Linjing by the end of the book. The author does not shy away from the darker elements of the story she is telling, and there were some descriptions of punishments and torture that had me wincing as I read. There is a real emphasis on the rigidity of culture and tradition and the difficulty and limitations that that places on women in particular. The author has packed a lot of story into this book, there were plenty of moments when I just had to keep reading to see what would happen next, I just did not want to put this book down,
This is an exceptional book and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

An interesting read. Chinese culture has always been very different from Western culture and still remains so. Little Flower is sold as a slave to the Fong family as a maid to their daughter, Linjing. Little Flower suffers under Linjing and the family matriarch. The story is told by the two girls but it is not always clear who is speaking without going back to the beginning of the chapter showing the name. It's a pity that the lotus flower at the beginning of each chapter is different for each narrator.
I am sure many readers will enjoy the book but it wasn't for me.

Set in 1800's China, The Lotus Shoes follows Little Flower, a slave and her Mistress Linjing. Little Flower is didn't get much from her mother when she sold her into slavery, except her Golden Lilies.

This is the tradition of foot binding and is seen as a sign of Ladies and good breeding. Women who have their feet bound wear Lotus Shoes (hence the title). So the fact that Linjing is a lady but doesn't have Golden Lilies but her slave Little Flower does is something she cannot bear. So she ensures Little Flower's Golden Lilies are taken from her.

Thus begins a rivalry that follows the girls as they grow up into adults. Life deals plenty of twists and turns for them both and their lives are intertwined in so many ways.

This was an easy read and jumped perspectives between the two girls. I have to admit that Linjing is quite unlikeable and makes very questionable decisions, whilst Little Flower becomes a true survivor.

There are echoes of similarities with Memoirs of a Geisha - a young girl sold i to slavery, rivalry between female characters, a special talent and a great supporting cast of characters. Little Flower is definitely my favourite character and there is a lot of depth in her story!

I learnt a lot about the Chinese culture if this period and am fascinated to read more! I'm so thankful I was granted early access to this arc by @littlebrownuk on @netgalley, thank you.

The Lotus Shoes is out 28th January so I hope you consider picking it up of you enjoy - underdog stories, historical fiction, strong female characters and forbidden love.

Favourite quote:
"She was a pedigree horse wearing blinkers, only able to see the safe, privileged path she trod. How could she understand that a slave's life was a tightrope?"

In this beautifully interwoven narrative, we follow Little Flower, who is sold into slavery to the Fong family at the age of six, and Linjing, the eldest Fong daughter who becomes her mistress. Together, they must navigate their lives as Chinese women in a man's world.

The story switches between the points of view of Little Flower and Linjing, allow us to see situations from the perspective of two different classes. The writing is immersive and the cultural aspects are clearly presented, making this easily accessible to readers who may not be familiar with China in the 1800s.

A recommended read for fans of Memoirs of a Geisha, Lisa See's novels, and historical fiction centred on female characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly can I have a bit of commotion for the cover. How gorgeous is it?! And I would also like to point out that this is Jane's debut, and so she's definitely got my intrigued for her future work.

I haven't read much Chinese fiction, in fact I think I've only read a handful over the years, but what I have found is it tends to be wrapped up in a sense of magic. I can't quite put my finger on it. But I find fiction from that part of the world (China, Japan, Korea), it's like a kind of nostalgia for a place and time I don't know. They seem almost...delicate. In the way a ceramic vase can be beautiful but fragile, that's how I feel about books from that part of the world. Hopefully that makes sense to you, or you might just think I've officially lost the plot - you wouldn't be the first one to think that.

I do love a historical novel, especially when set in a place I know nothing about, so this had it all going for it.

This book opened me up to a culture I knew little about. For example, I had heard of foot binding, but I never really understood what foot binding means in China, only my uneducated western opinion, and so I love having my eyes opened to important cultural aspects that seem to have passed me by.

It is quite a hard book to read in terms of the content. It's not full of violence or erotica or anything like that. But there's certain elements that I found quite distressing to read - which I admit may be due to my lack of cultural understanding.

I admit there were times I considered stopping reading it. Not because it was bad or boring or I wasn't enjoying it, no. But because it made me really angry, some of these things that they do, treating young girls the way they do (I won't spoil it by saying how), or "unworthy" mothers. And I think because it's very real is what angers me. So it wasn't a book I could read in one sitting. I had to take breaks from it and let it sink in.

It is very character heavy, which I like. There is a plot but this is more the journey of the characters go on and how they work off each other, which I really enjoyed.

There are a few time jumps in the book, which I understand because you want to show these characters at different ages, but some I felt were a little sudden. I'd have liked a more gentle transition through the ages so we can get a really good picture of how they are at each stage, but that's a small point, and not enough to make the reading of it less enjoyable, just an observation.

I did think it was going to be a Cinderella Story kind of story, which it wasn't. It went down a route I wasn't necessarily expecting but it was still an interesting story to read, I couldn't guess where I thought it was going at any stage.

Overall I think it's a very promising debut. It's full of heart, history, passion, and culture, with well written characters and a fascinating journey. It's very honest and raw and not always in a way that makes for easy reading, but very interesting and enjoyable all the same. This is a very accomplished book that it's hard to believe it's Jane's debut, but I am eager to see how she follows it up.

Oh my goodness what a wonderful read. I soaked up every page. Set in 19th century China this is the story of two very different girls/women. At the tender age of six Little Flower is sold by her mother to the wealthy Fong family and she becomes a muizai to the first wife’s daughter Linjing, her job is to be at Linjing's beck and call, basically her personal slave. Little Flowers has bound feet, rare for the lower classes, and she also excels in embroidery. Linjing's father has decided that her feet should not be bound as he wants her to marry a progressive man who doesn’t want a woman with lotus feet. A beautifully written narrative had me captivated in this well paced story.

Briefly, Linjing is jealous of Little Flower’s tiny feet and embroidery skills, made worse when Linjing’s mother praises Little Flower and seems to compare the two children unfavourably. As a result Linjing doesn’t treat Little Flower well and when, at the age of 18, Little Flower should be given her freedom into marriage Linjing makes sure she can’t leave her. However, before Linjing’s own marriage takes place, and the two young women leave the Fong household, a terrible tragedy takes place and the two women end up leaving for a very different place and life.

Little Flower is such a lovely character, despite all the dreadful treatment she received she is kind and generous whereas Linjing has been spoilt since birth and she believes that she is above everyone else, she seems to have no redeeming qualities. The relationship between them has ups and downs but more downs than ups and Little Flower suffers greatly from the downs. A captivating and powerful story of the terrible place that women endured in the culture of China at this time, it was brutal and heartbreaking and I loved it!

From the start I was absolutely engrossed in this story. It’s so rich and the author draws such a vivid picture of China and its culture and traditions that I was utterly transported into the world of Little Flower and Linjing.

With her father dead and the family impovershed, Little Flower is sold to the wealthy Fong family to be a maid to their daughter Linjing. Two very different girls, bound together, face the challenges of growing up as women in 19th century rural China.

The Lotus Shoes is very much a character driven story and the development of both characters as individuals and their relationship with each other is skillfully done. The tale is told in alternating chapters giving us an insight into Little Flower & Linjings thoughts and reactions to their changing situation. Little Flower is much easier to like from the off but Linjing has such an interesting journey and I really felt like I travelled it with her. You can’t help but wishing for the best for both of them

This is a really well written , powerful and fascinating story that I was very sad to finish. Highly recommend

Huge thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the chance to read an early copy

Lotus Shoes is a story where we follow Little Flower on her journey to a better life but unfortunately this plan is ruined by Linjing. We learn more about the certain Chinese traditions and how in 1800s women were affected by these traditions. This is a lovely story about friendship, forgiveness and love with some characters more enjoyable than others.

This is a seriously good read. Usually my taste in historical fiction runs along the WW2 vein so this was a new area for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Heartbreaking at times but then uplifting as our heroine works her way all the challenges that faced her through her life. Highly recommend.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7027143973

A very readable page turner of a book, with a kick ass lead character in Little Flower, that I very nearly gave four stars. I think I breezed through it in a couple of days. My only reasons for slightly marking it down were that (I) considering that this is a book which raises complex themes, the ending was all a bit too neat and tied up with a bow for me; and (II) to get to the place it ended up at least one important character had to execute some fairly unbelievable u-turns, which just didn't quite ring true to me and undermined their character development. However, I would still read more from this author and she has a very easy style - great for a holiday read.

Thanks to her, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

A beautifully written and gentle paced story set in the last decades of the nineteenth century. This story is a powerful insight into the lives of Chinese women at that time. The cruelty and inequality makes this a heartbreaking read but the strength of the characters gives an uplifting message of hope. The historical setting provided a fascinating read. Very enjoyable.

The Lotus Shoes is a moving read that is set against the backdrop of 19th-century China and tells the story of Little Flower, a young servant and Linjing, her wealthy mistress.
I don’t think any review I write will do this book justice! It was truly captivating and unforgettable - perfect for lovers of historical fiction. especially those that explore different traditions/cultures.

Found it promising but it just reminded me of other books I read that are extremely similar from Lisa See, Lee Geum-yi, Adeline Yen Mah, Jing-Jing Lee, etc.

Unfortunately it had just felt like I had read it before.

The Lotus Shoes is the story of Linjing, a high-born girl in 19th century China, and Little Flower, her servant. The two girls meet at the age of six, and their lives intertwine as they grow up within a society that prizes obedience and tradition. Through Linjing and Little Flower’s life experiences, the novel explores the realities of their world, including the practice of foot binding and the rigid roles assigned to women.

This book was so powerful and beautifully written, at the same time describing a society objectively and condemning its cruelties, accepting its realities and offering hope for alternative ways of life, exploring how members of a society come to internalise its most painful traditions while still offering resolution. Beautiful on more levels than I can describe. I cried for Little Flower and for all the women she represented.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Little Flower is sold into slavery at the age of 6 to the Fong family where she is required to serve Linjing. Jealous of both her bound feet and her skills at embroidery, Linjing makes sure that Little Flower cannot benefit from these attributes and aspire beyond her status as a slave.

The girls are bound together as Linjing prepares for marriage but a betrayal forced Little Flower to reevaluate what she wants and she agrees to support Linjing in her new household.

The repercussions of a scandal lead to Linjing being banished from her home and life of luxury and both have to work together to survive in the Sisterhood. Love intervenes for both and causes further rifts in their relationship.

This book exposes the societal pressures which constrain the freedom of young women in Chinese society and shows how pain and misfortune can impact. Both are forced to change and learn resilience and develop confidence in their own abilities and aspirations.

Both main characters are well drawn and there is a real sense of the time and place.

A gripping read - one which will stay with me.

What I loved the most about this book is the character development of the main character,who is a strong female with lota of resilience. I struggled with this book at the beginning until the story settled with so many characters. It was very interesting to read about China from the oast, I haven't read many books about it. I know is a work of fiction but still historical facts within a fiction book make it easier to learn about a different culture as a starter point. It blew my mind at times and the ending is quite fitting.