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Summary: Not simply about mother&daughters but family obligations....
Review: Amy Tan is a great writer however there are many pluses and minuses to this book. Contrary to the reviews on its cover it is filled with sentimentality and it is this which provides the sense of nostalgia combined with happiness of a culture complete in itself yet also sadness at the obligations, restrictions and ordeals through which each of its characters has struggled. It is a shame that it doesn't have a greater reason for the 4 mother's and their daughter's stories to have been 'compiled' or told together, merely that they happened upon each other once they had arrived in the US, but for those of us who understand or have come from Asia it is a sweet but sour reminder of the hardships faced by those caught in the need to fulfil the obligations of others. Contrary to the cover which pretends it is merely about the mother-daughter bond it is about far more than that. It is about the commitment and obligation of children to their parents, how both boys and girls can be bound by promises made for them long before they were even old enough to know what the promise would mean for them. Each story is touching and yet strained: a mother who is so desperate to save her daughters from the invading Japanese that in her struggle to reach her husband she has to leave her daughter's fate in the lap of the gods, another who was betrothed from childhood to someone for whom she only had a brotherly love and who did not love her yet she felt dutybound to fulfil her parents obligation so they would not be ashamed of her yet still managed to trick her way out of the commitment by duping her new family with made up superstitious stories based in her own misdeed, yet another who was brought up so sadly that she was taught to feel ashamed of her own mother even before she had really got to know her (by self-righteous relatives who did not care for her feelings merely for their own selfish needs) and then another who believed in the Moon Lady but whose own family were too quick to punish her for not knowing right from wrong and she nearly died. Any or all of these stories could have happened to any child boy or girl, but this particular book does not have a great thread to it merely separate threads woven together with no connection. Having already read 'The Kitchen God's Wife' and 'One Hundred Secret Senses' the writing is so similar and the stories of tragedy all too familiar focussing as ever mostly but not entirely on the female side of the family. It seems her repertoire does not extend much further and great though the writing is, it is hard to keep retelling similar stories of tragic life circumstance - unbalance by consistently telling it only from one point of view - without perhaps choosing to lighten it a bit more. Yet even when a happy moment finally comes at the very end, it is still tinged with sadness that someone else was not there to see it! I think perhaps that the other 2 books I have read by her were better for the simple reason that theyhad a story to tell rather than simply telling story after story for the sake of it - though the tangled web of cultural obligation is neatly told.
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Summary: Simplistic Writing Style, Important and Powerful Issues.
Review: The Joy Luck Club is a classic book in Twentieth Century American Literature, and Asain-American literature. It follows the lives of four Chinese women in China during the 40's as well as their American-born daughters in California a generation later. The characters are Suyuan Woo and her daughter Jing-mei (who goes by "June"), An-mei Hsu and her daughter Rose Hsu Jordan, Lindo Jong and her daughter Waverly, and Ying-ying St. Clair and her daughter Lena. It is almost like a book of short stories, because each woman (and daughter) takes a turn or two at telling a story from her life. Each story eventually connects with other stories, but they can also be read alone and make complete sense. Four stories are grouped into one category, so they all are placed into fitting themes. The first grouping is under "Feathers From a Thousand Li Away", and deal with the mother's stories of living in China. The next is "The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates", in which the daughters are introduced and each speaks about her life as an Asian-American, and how each incorporates the legends, stories, and tradition of their mother's countries with modern life in their own. The third grouping is "American Translation", which delves furhter into the complications of living in two worlds at once. The last grouping is "Queen Mother of the Western Skies" and deals with issues of aging and the loss of innocence.Tan's writing style is quite simplistic but the issues she addresses are important and deep. During the reading of this book one can grasp the contrasts between China and America, and can sense the problems and excitement of a Chinese mother raising an American daughter in a completely different environment than that in which she grew up, as well as being that Asain-American daughter. Another theme addressed in this book is that of mother-daughter relationships. All the relationships in this book are strained, and the women involved misunderstand and misinterpret one another because of the cultural differences even though they have genetic similarities. I am glad I read this famous and often-talked-about book, however the writing style was so simple and the plots so easy to follow that I wish I had read it earlier. I think it would be a good book for teenagers, but if you are an adult who has never read it, I also recommend it to you. The issues addressed within it are timeless and thought-provoking.
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Summary: Connection Between two cultures
Review: At first I was really sceptical about his book, I had to read it for an Ethnic Studies Class, but it turned out to be a great story of two cultures, Chinese and American. It playes with several hot topic issues in our american society today such as immigration and the problems fromm the immigrants point of view. This book really made me think about things in a new way, and I would recommend it to you. Its a mind-opening and captivating story.
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Summary: The Greatest Life Lessons in a Masterpiece
Review: I have never been more deeply touched in my life than after I read this masterpiece. The pain, the deeply personal issues of 4 Chinese mothers and their daughters, the value of respect and hard work, the deeper meaning behind the tragic events in life, love, and the reasons why we do the things we do is what this book is about. Being an Asian American myself, I felt myself being described in the lives of those American daughters. I respect my heritage and ancestry, and so, I appreciate all this book has taught me about my ethnicity. Asian values are emphasized in this book, particularly in "Two Kinds," where a young girl felt she was forced to be a child prodigy, to be the best piano player; but now that she's an adult, she understands why her mother wanted her to be a better, talented person. Every chapter is different, and every chapter teaches a different lesson about life. Reading this book was a spiritual experience for me, the acknowledgment of tragedies that happen everyday but that are not important enough for others to understand, for it to make the front page news. The best chapter in this book is Rose Hsu Jordan: Half and Half. My favorite quote in this book is in this chapter: "I think now that fate is shaped half by expectation, half by inattention." The quote on the last page sums it all up: "I also see what part of me is Chinese. It is so obvious. It is my family. It is in our blood."
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Summary: An amazing use of imagery and feeling
Review: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan is an extraordinary book that exhibits the spirit of the heart through about ten short stories. Although the setup of the book can be a bit confusing, it really does add to the ambiance and feeling of the story. Having the book split up also makes it a very easy read. I really enjoyed this story because it has to do with different types of mother-daughter relationships. The novel acts as an insight into a world that the reader would normally never get to see. You get to read all about what the mothers know about life and what the daughters think they know about life. In a sense the reader becomes involved in the story because we get to find out secretes at the same time the characters in the book discover them. This is also a very good book because it has a very personal and unique style. Not many writers can have so many different little stories in one book and still keep a sense of congruity flowing through it. Tan uses a mix of Asian and American terminology to give the story a feeling of authenticity and realness. However this book is not for everyone. Men would definitely not enjoy it because they would have trouble relating to it. Since this story is all about what women feel men would not be able to understand and comprehend many of the view's Tan relates in her stories. Overall this is a wonderful book because of the sense of realness it possesses. I was able to really picture the events that are described really happening to someone. It is an extraordinary story that can be understood by many people no matter their age or race. P.S. The move does not give the book justice, but it still does a very good job. So if you have seen the movie and have not read the book you really need to read it because you don't know what you are missing!
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Summary: THe joyluck club shows us we should appreciate our heritage
Review: The joyluck club is about the generations that four Chinese grandmothers would like to share with their daughters. It tells about the hardships each individual goes through in China when migrating to America and the sacrifices that had to encounter so that their daughters wouldn't hae to live as hard a life they did. Although each one of theirs daughters take their new lives for granted without realizing the hardships that the grandparents had to go through. Overall this book made me think of my own mom who migrated from japan. If her life was a shard as these particular charaters. I can see how I take things for advantage in my life to. I didn't like reading it although the book is greatly written it just didn't interet me as other books have.
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Summary: is one of the best books that I've read.
Review: This book is about an Asian-American family and their traditional background which takes place in China and in America with two different generations. For a long time, members of the older generation in the Joy Luck Club have met up to play mah jong and talk about their past. Each one of them have a sad side to their story. The older generation women all came to America from China. Now, it's their daughters turn to take their mom's place. All the younger generation women all end up like their mom because all of their husband didn't treat them right. It was so interesting that it kept me wanting to read more till I'm done with it. I really enjoyed reading the book. However, if you find it confusing, you would properly want to watch the movie. This book is full of drama. I would highly recommend it to those people who wants to know and learn more about the Asian-American culture.
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Summary: simply brilliant!
Review: I never really took this book for more than what was written until we started study it for English Lit. It's amazing! It was already good when I read it, but after studying the stories and the way Amy Tan writes, I keep finding new things to look out for. There are symbols and deeper meanings all over the place and everything's just so amazing. You really have to look out for things, and when you find things, there is even more to read. I can read this over and over again without getting sick of it!
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Summary: I Loved This Book!
Review: I had to read this book for school this year and I was one of the only people in the class that really enjoyed it. It is hard to understand the different stories, but if you just take out a piece of paper and chart what is happening with each person, you can really enjoy the book without becoming confused. DON'T BUY THE CLIFFS NOTES becuase you really won't get the experience that you would with the real book! Just take some effort and read the book, and take time to chart the stories and I guarantee that you will LOVE it as well!
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Summary: Simply wonderful
Review: This is a purely enticing book and not by any means overated! It has a very simple subject; the relationships between Chinese women and their American born daughters. The story goes into much depth as it illustrates the modern domestic lives of Americans and the old traditions of China more than a generation ago. Every character is important and well developed with every emotion, thought, and quality. Words can't describe the many ways the passions touch the reader, both sad, happy, and angry ones. All of the many conflicts and histories that surround that characters touch the reader so much that you read on and on, wondering what could take place next. I also really adored the whole narrating style of the book. Each character's story is so vivid and precise, and every story is choronicled so well. Every event will either bring tears or warm up your heart. There are also the important lessons that relate both to the old ways and the new ways. Oh, there are so many elements in this book that touch the heart of the reader, but perhaps what affects the reader the most is the way that these mothers and daughters, though once conflicting and rivalous, come to understand one another when they hear the stories they never listned to before. Their stories contain both bright and dark moments, that not only allow the characters to see one another, but also allow the reader to have compassion for all. It is very rare that one will ever find a book so perfect in story, characters, tone, setting, and every other characteristic in a book. This is a book that you don't want to miss out on. The only reason I have limited how well I can describe this book is because you have to read it yourself to know all of the many great elements. THIS IS A PURE MUST! I can assure you that this book in not in anyway overated.
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