What if I told you that a woman’s fight for agency in 15th-century China mirrors struggles women still face today? Lisa See’s Lady Tan’s Circle of Women is a beautifully immersive historical novel that transports readers to 15th-century China, offering a rare and fascinating glimpse into the life of a woman physician. Inspired by a real historical figure, Tan Yunxian, this novel provides a story rich in cultural detail, deep friendships, and the persistent struggle for women’s agency within the confines of a patriarchal society.
I don’t often read historical fiction, but when I do, I’ve found that stories set in China tend to focus on the brutalization of women. While those narratives are important, it was refreshing to encounter a story in which the female protagonist is not constantly subjected to violence. Of course, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women does not shy away from the reality that, in 15th-century China, women were still regarded as property, their lives dictated by the expectations of men. However, the novel offers a nuanced exploration of how women navigated these restrictions, particularly through the lens of medicine, female friendships, and quiet forms of defiance.
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