Ties That Bind, Ties That Break
Mass Market
Random House Children's Books · Paperback · November 14, 2000
Third Sister in the Tao family, Ailin has watched her two older sisters go through the painful process of having their feet bound.
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- Who it’s for
- A historical coming-of-age story about personal freedom, family expectations, and the cost of refusing tradition.
- Themes
- Foot binding and tradition, Women's independence, Family and social pressure
- Genres
- Historical YA - Asia, YA Stories About Girls & Women, Coming of Age
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Start with this bookAbout this book
Third Sister in the Tao family, Ailin has watched her two older sisters go through the painful process of having their feet bound. In China in 1911, all the women of good families follow this ancient tradition. But Ailin loves to run away from her governess and play games with her male cousins. Knowing she will never run again once her feet are bound, Ailin rebels and refuses to follow this torturous tradition.
Continue reading
As a result, however, the family of her intended husband breaks their marriage agreement. And as she enters adolescence, Ailin finds that her family is no longer willing to support her. Chinese society leaves few options for a single woman of good family, but with a bold conviction and an indomitable spirit, Ailin is determined to forge her own destiny. Her story is a tribute to all those women whose courage created new options for the generations who came after them.
Choosing Her Own Way
A historical coming-of-age story about personal freedom, family expectations, and the cost of refusing tradition.
Come here for
- A young heroine’s spirited refusal to accept a painful custom
- A window onto women’s choices in early twentieth-century China
Expect
- A family conflict shaped by tradition and marriage expectations
- A determined path toward making a life on her own terms
Where it sits
| Historical YA - Asia | 99% |
|---|---|
| YA Stories About Girls & Women | 66% |
| Coming of Age | 41% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Coming of Age
- Historical YA - Asia
- Finding Your Footing
- Authors
- Lensey Namioka
- Publisher
- Random House Children's Books
- Published
- November 14, 2000
- Format
- Paperback
- Theme
- Foot binding and tradition · Women's independence · Family and social pressure
- Reading lane
- Coming of Age