http://www.literaryfeline.com/2007/07/february-flowers-by-fan-wu.html ( )

February Flowers is a modern novel, set in China, about the friendship between two girls at university. It followed the kind of friendship that I often find portrayed in novels, where one girl of the pair is innocent, shy and academic, while the other girl is glamorous, adventurous and seems to have a much more exciting life. So I didn’t think February Flowers was particularly original in this respect, but it did have an unusual setting (for me) which made it more appealing. It seemed to be deliberately written for a Western readership who wouldn’t know much about China, which created a rather strange effect at times, but I found it interesting to read about the experience of being at university in China in the 1990s. Somehow I didn’t completely connect with this novel, although it had a nice melancholic atmosphere and explored experiences of friendship, growing up and sexuality in a realistic way. [2012] ( )

Very interesting story. No discernible chapter breaks which I was comfortable with, as I often writie that way. I liked the cultural aspect because it was so different from what I know and am used to. Only slightly disappointed with the ending, but I did see it coming. Would definitely read this again. Looking forward to reading Fan Wu's other works. ( )

Tha story teller Ming, met Miao Yan in 1991 at University. Ming is 17 and a serious student but Miao Yan is 24 and worldly. She does not realise the efect she has on Ming. The story gradually unfolds and Yan becomes the catalyst for Ming's homosexual awakening. Great insight into contemporary China. ( )

Narrated by Chen Ming, February Flowers is a story of her memories as she recalls her brief but meaningful relationship with Miao Yan during her years at university. Ming, a serious 17-year-old student befriends the vivacious and outgoing 24-year-old Miao Yan through a series of coincidences. Ming would have never imagined herself to be so attached to anyone, much less a woman so different from herself. But as much as opposites attract, their differences create a friction that at once pulls them together, and pushes them further apart.

In a nutshell, February Flowers is a story about youth, about growing up, and about discovering one’s self. As all of us grow up, we experience a process that no one else can, no one else but ourselves. It’s about that individual path we take, the small choices and decisions we make, the abundance of emotions that we feel and go through every minute of the day. ( )