Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

An intriguing look at life for women in China before the abolition of foot-binding. Lily and Snow Flower, tow pre-pubescent girls, become laotong, or sort of cross between pen-pals and best friends for life. They also have their feet bound and undergo the cultural discrimination against women of their time. Women are nothing, and girl children are less than nothing. It's a very interesting glimpse of a culture that is, fortunately, gone (I hope).