YMMV / Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

• Les Yay:
  • When Lily and Snow Flower visit each other, they share a bed. Snow Flower always cups Lily's cheek until they both fall asleep. There's one instance where they're half naked, staring at each other, and end up drawing words on each others' stomachs. The narrative even makes note of small details Lily explains are erotic, and Snow Flower spends some time staring at Lily's breasts.
  • The reader's group guide in one edition of the book invites the reader to speculate on their possible sexual relationship.
• Nausea Fuel: The detailed descriptions of Third Sister's blood poisoning and Beautiful Moon's death by anaphylactic shock are unsettling. Footbinding itself takes a starring role in the early part of the book, visited upon five and three year old girls, no less. The fact that the narrative shows how important and accepted footbinding is only heightens the discomfort.