Status Updates From The Lost Kingdom of Daughte...

Sese, also commonly known as Walking Marriage in Chinese. In this system, lovers have no economic or legal ties, and their relationship is based on mutual affection. It ends when one party expresses a wish to end the relationship. It can last for years, develop into a lifelong relationship, or dissolve after one night. The children belong to the mother; the men raise their sisters’ children.

“I think love is forgiveness, love is devotion, and we Moso people know all about this. But there’s one thing that is beyond our understanding. It’s this: Love is selfish. It has ownership, it has a name, it needs a home.”

The Moso women could pick any men they lust after and call it love.” I speak with mixed feelings. “You’re not wrong. We are simple people; just as we pay little attention to the hours of the day, we have little need to comprehend the nuances of love and relationships. What we care for are our daughters.”

Our final farewell. All her lovers, including my father from another village, arrived to send her away. The chimes rang, the horn blew, the white banners shuddered in the wind. We formed a procession, women first and then men, and chased the square box that contained her body and the effigy dressed in Mother’s clothes, following her as she traveled from the village and then to the Ridge of Tomorrow in a circle.

Death, after all, was an assignment for men, who were in charge of caring for the dead, while we women were tasked to tend to the living.

“Love is like seasons, it comes and goes, but friends are mountains that stand for ages,”

What was love if there was no forgiveness?

Men only have responsibility for their sisters’ children; they do not have their own children.”

What you need to know is that we believe in the supremacy of the female. The female seeds outweigh the male’s water. Most important of all, we believe in the free spirit of women.”

Grabbed me from the first page!

I have been lost in the beautiful mountains of China with the Moso people; free-spirited Lozo and her two suitors, the brothers Adam and Noah.

Now that I am nearing the end I will have to go and find another foreign land to discover. I think I know just the one...

How fascinating...

Other than stories in Greek mythology about the Amazon women I had not thought much about matriarchal societies.

Fascinating indeed...

"How unexpected. You must tell me more. How does it work?"

"Very simple. We woman have the freedom to choose our mates and so do the men. Our relationship is based on affection, nothing else. When we like each other, we stay together; when we fall out of love, we end our relationships."

"I'm sorry, I might have misunderstood. Did you say you don't have monogamy ?"

"Monogamy?"

Weina Dai Randel is one of my very favorite authors.

Just found out today that this is based on the real community of the Moso people of China. It is a matriarchal society where women freely choose their lovers and marriage does not exist. 1950s !!

Starting this ARC first thing tomorrow.

Weina Dai Randel is one of my very favorite authors.

She writes such fantastically beautiful and suspenseful historical fiction novels.

Just found out today that this is based on a real community of the Moso people of China. It is a matriarchal society where women freely choose their lovers and marriage does not exist. 1950s !!

Starting this ARC first thing tomorrow!