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  • Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka book cover
  • Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka book cover
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Ties That Bind, Ties That Break

by Lensey Namioka

A choice that unsettles family expectations

$9.67 USD
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AlbakiReads Editorial

A choice that unsettles family expectations

Set in China in 1911, Lensey Namioka’s novel centers on Ailin, a young woman who refuses the foot-binding tradition after seeing what her older sisters endure. Her decision costs her the marriage agreement arranged for her and leaves her facing limited options within her family and society. The conflict links a personal refusal to wider questions of custom, gender, and a young woman’s ability to shape her future. Historical detail and Ailin’s family circumstances frame a story about the pressures placed on women and the consequences of resisting them.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens and young adults interested in historical fiction set in China.
  • Readers exploring stories about family expectations and women’s choices.
  • Readers interested in historical customs and resistance to tradition.

Themes

Foot-binding and traditionFamily expectationsWomen’s autonomyComing of ageHistorical China

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

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.

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.
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