


Yip Mann, an elderly spice farmer, should have known better than to purchase a fifteen-year-old cherry-girl as his concubine, especially one beautiful enough to be seen as Ch ien Gum - comparable to a thousand pieces of gold. But surely he deserves such a plaything to give him the last of his sons.
To Yip Mann s dismay, the wilful concubine dies bearing him a worthless girl-child. After her death he must make use of the girl as best he can: by binding her feet in the forbidden practice of the Golden Lotus, he can sell her for a higher price. But the daughter he names Li-Xia - Beautiful One - has the fighting spirit of her rebellious mother, escaping the crippling bandages: she knows her feet will be her freedom. And when they lead her into the path of a mysterious foreign devil , Li-Xia takes the first steps on a new and perilous journey . . .a richly detailed historical novel that explores the lives of strong female characters struggling against patriarchy in the times of footbinding, arranged marriage and concubines * BRISBANE'S SUNDAY MAIL * An atmospheric novel * BELLA * A sprawling family epic intent on capturing China's mystic flavour. Full of English heroes, Chinese villains and brave, virtuous women * METRO * An engaging and entertaining read * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *
ISBN: 9780751538984
ISBN-10: 0751538981
Audience:
General
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 496
Published: 1st September 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Country of Publication: GB
Dimensions (cm): 19.8 x 18.5
x 3.5
Weight (kg): 0.32
Edition Number: 1