SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN (Lisa See) - July 13/11

This passable book contains a few admittedly interesting stretches and certainly provides an eye-opening glimpse into a barbaric way of life (footbinding!), but there's not even remotely enough plot here to consistently sustain the reader's interest. It is, as a result, not surprising to note that big chunks of the novel are awfully tough to get through, and the book did, at times, feel more like work than entertainment. Still, See offers up compelling characters and a vivid picture of a specific time and place, so it's not all bad. **1/2 out of ****