Ties that Bind, Ties that Break by Lensey Namioka

Ailin lives in China. The year is 1911. She is part of a large extended family who still follow old customs. At a very young age she is betrothed to a boy in her neighborhood. She is just four years old and the boy is eight. The other tradition is foot binding. Hanwie's family (her betrothed) cannot accept Ailin if her feet are not bound but Ailin's father is progressive in his thinking, and he agrees her feet do not need to suffer this hideously painful process. He also agrees that his daughter can go to school even though girls do not usually receive education beyond the family. 

Her lack of footbinding means Hanwie is no longer engaged to Ailin but attending school means she is able to learn English. When her father sadly dies her bully uncle takes over control of the family. He has dreadul plans for Ailin so it is time for her to leave. She goes to work for a missionary family taking care of their two young children. By doing this she can no longer visit her family. After three years with the Warners she then travels to America so now her family ties are completely broken.  Go back to the title - ties that bind - foot binding and the binding to traditional customs. Ties that break - her cruel uncle and the way she is no longer fit for marriage with her big feet means she has to break away from her family and their traditional customs. Spoiler alert - there is a very happy ending to the story.

Wikipedia have a very detailed plot summary. 

The metaphor of things bound and unbound is a ribbon winding through this vivid narrative; the story moves swiftly, while Ailin is a brave and engaging heroine whose difficult choices reflect her time and her gender. Kirkus

Namioka weaves in just enough political history to help readers understand the turbulent climate, and her writing is so atmospheric and closely informed that it appears to offer an insider's perspective on a vanished way of life. Narrated by Ailin in flashback, this colorful novel has the force and intensity of a memoir. Publisher's Weekly

I picked this slim book up on a sale table in a large city bookstore. I love to look at price stickers on books like this because you can see how long a particular book has languished on the shop shelves. This book has been waiting since June 2017 for a new owner. Why? The cover is appealing to my eye. I think perhaps this book was placed in the wrong section. First off it has the feel of a biography and secondly, even though it only has 150 pages this book is not suitable for younger children. I would place it in the Young Adult section and recommend it for readers aged 13+. Please note there is a mention of suicide in the narrative. This book was published in 2003 but it is still available. 

Listen to an audio sample. 

Here is an alternate cover:

Companion book: