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The Valley of Amazement
by Amy Tan

Published: 2013-11-05
Hardcover : 608 pages
32 members reading this now
45 clubs reading this now
11 members have read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 4 of 4 members

Amy Tan’s The Valley of Amazement is a sweeping, evocative epic of two women’s intertwined fates and their search for identity, that moves from the lavish parlors of Shanghai courtesans to the fog-shrouded mountains of a remote Chinese village.

Spanning more than forty years and two ...

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Introduction

Amy Tan’s The Valley of Amazement is a sweeping, evocative epic of two women’s intertwined fates and their search for identity, that moves from the lavish parlors of Shanghai courtesans to the fog-shrouded mountains of a remote Chinese village.

Spanning more than forty years and two continents, The Valley of Amazement resurrects pivotal episodes in history: from the collapse of China’s last imperial dynasty, to the rise of the Republic, the explosive growth of lucrative foreign trade and anti-foreign sentiment, to the inner workings of courtesan houses and the lives of the foreign “Shanghailanders” living in the International Settlement, both erased by World War II.

A deeply evocative narrative about the profound connections between mothers and daughters, The Valley of Amazement returns readers to the compelling territory of Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club. With her characteristic insight and humor, she conjures a story of inherited trauma, desire and deception, and the power and stubbornness of love.

Editorial Review

An Amazon Best Book of the Month, November 2013: For a hefty half of her gorgeous new novel, The Valley of Amazement, Amy Tan instructs us in the finer points of life as a courtesan in early 20th century China: expect and revel in sensual descriptions of the clothes, the customs, even the not-so-niceties of catering to rich men in a very regimented society. Lulu Minturn is a white Californian whoâ??d run away with a Chinese painter, established the best courtesan house in Shanghai and given birth to a beautiful â??Eurasianâ?? (in the parlance of the time) daughter, Violet. Soon, either because she was tricked or deceitful, Lulu abandons Violet and flees back to America; history soon is in danger of repeating itself when Violet gives birth to her own daughter. (Eventually, the scene shifts to California, where the family searches for redemption and reconciliation.) Nobody does mother-daughter angst and cross cultural conflict better than Tan, who has been literally writing the book(s) on these topics for years. What makes this novel special is its meticulous language--readers may be struck by the juxtaposition of poetry and Anglosaxon equivalents in descriptions of courtesansâ?? sex lives--and its elucidation of the cultural upheavals at the time. This is as much a historical novel as it is a family story, at once intimate and sweeping, personal and political. Youâ??ll have learned something by the end--and youâ??ll probably also be weeping. --Sara Nelson

Excerpt

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Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

The impact of prostitution both in the past and present around the world.
How are relationships within the family changed and altered, if at all?
by bookview (see profile) 09/13/14

If you got to choose your own courtesan name, what would it be?
by kkoturf (see profile) 03/21/14

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

No notes at this time.

Book Club Recommendations

The story of hardship and cruelty overcome by time and love!
by bookview (see profile) 09/13/14

Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
by bridget c. (see profile) 11/18/22

 
by Cindy H. (see profile) 09/27/19

 
by lori l. (see profile) 01/01/18

 
by Amy P. (see profile) 03/15/17

 
by Terri M. (see profile) 09/16/15

 
  "Valley of Amazement"by Cindy M. (see profile) 11/20/14

This is not the Amy Tan that I have enjoyed in her previous books!

 
  "Valley Of Amazement"by Connie S. (see profile) 10/24/14

The tenacity of the women portrayed in this book made it very inspiring. The hardships they endured and the coping mechanisms they developed were brilliant, especially in the face of their role in society... (read more)

 
by Laurie L. (see profile) 10/21/14

 
by Candice D. (see profile) 09/17/14

 
  "The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan"by Dee S. (see profile) 09/13/14

I found this book absorbing from the first page! The insight into the Chinese culture, traditions and ways of courtesan life from a Western point of view were astounding.This book was very hard to put... (read more)

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