The Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan is a genius. I mean, this book is incredible. Titled The Joy Luck Club, this novel an adventure on what it means to be Chinese. Sure, the book is actually about four mothers and their four daughters, but there is so much more than relationships being told. This story was a tale of discovering what it really means to be a part of China. Through the eyes, and experiences of eight different women, Tan makes this thought provoking story. In the summary of the author in the back flap of my version of the book, Amy Tan quoted her mother with these words: "As soon as my feet touched China, I became Chinese." This quote is the core of the novel (according to my depiction).

So much of this story is so realistic and in such detail, that I knew that Tan was not pulling these emotions out of air. These were someone's stories, or at least that's the way it felt. It's easy to whine about the different view points (the novel has four sections: 2 of the mothers', and 2 of the daughters). It is difficult to combine eight different experiences while making a single story, however I did not find that the plot was the story of the book. This was not a book about a person, a development, a climax, or a defeated villain. The story may have contained some of these elements, but that's not what I took away from it. But to clarify, it is the story of four Chinese-American daughters to immigrants who are contrasted with the stories of their mothers. The drastic differences 

Amy Tan, author, with her mother. 

One of my favorite things about reading novels about China, or have a Chinese foundation, is that one can always learn something new about China. There is no way that a single person can know all of the Chinese gods, or know all of Chinese history. There is so much left to learn about that country. With this in mind, I found great joy in this aspect of the story alone, while also enjoying the aspects of Chinese culture I have already learned about. For those who are lovers of Asia, I highly suggest this read. Not to mention the very heart warming finish that left me with the perfect amount of tears: just one. (Not even a lie). 

Besides that, reading just expands the mind and it allows for ignorance to diminish. Reading this novel, reminded me that at one time in my life I did not know anything about Asia, more specifically China. All I've done since that time is read [A LOT], but read none the less. 

For the growth of knowledge, and love of mothers,
Emily & Jeoffry the Cat