If you've read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. . . .?

Question

could you please summarize the ending of it? from the time when lily and snow flower's family had to run away into the mountains or somewhere. thanks

Answer 1

I actually just read this about a month ago.  Snow Flower becomes pregnant when they are out in the mountains.  Their second son, the one Snow Flower's husband favors, dies.  The husband blames Snow Flower and beats her almost to death.  She loses the baby.  Lily is oddly unsympathetic, tells her it is her duty to try to have another.  

Eventually, they can return home.  Lily takes her place as a great lady of the town.  She grows distant from Snow Flower because it seems to her that Snow Flower is always complaining.  Of course, this is because Snow Flower has a miserable life.  Snow Flower writes a message on the fan about how her sworn sisters understand her better and don't judge her the way Lily does.  

Lily's daughter does not get her feet bound with Snow Flower's daughter.  At a bridal party, Lily says terrible things about Snow Flower, about how she had s*x when they were in the mountains, abut how she'd lied to Lily about her family and that they weren't rich.  The tirade becomes famous.

Eventually, Lily receives word that Snow Flower has cancer and is dying.  She goes to visit her and learns that she has been wrong about everything. She had misinterpreted the message on the fan.  Snow Flower asks Lily to forgive her (when, of course, it is Lily who needs to be forgiven), and Lily cares for Snow Flower until she dies.  

After that, Lily helps Snow Flower's family, helps to raise the son that the father doesn't want, and eventually (I think), Lily's daughter marries Snow Flower's son (I might be wrong about that part).   In the end, Snow Flower's family is united with Lily's, and Lily feels that she is reunited with Snow Flower.