A review by nothingforpomegranted
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A novel written in stunning, overlapping vignettes from the perspectives of eight different characters in two different generations that explores what it means to be Chinese, American, and an immigrant. This ambitious book is an especially remarkable debut novel, and it is no surprise that it has become a modern classic.
This book tells the story of four mothers and four daughters, going back and forth in time as we discover each of their "origin stories." Perhaps more than anything else, this is a story about the relationships between mothers and daughters and how communication barriers are erected between them. Each story is at least a little bit heartbreaking, and while each one can stand alone, it is especially profound to read these stories together, developing a sense of the relationships among the characters.
I loved these stories and Amy Tan's beautiful writing, and I am amazed by the way she was able to write in different voices for each character, truly developing their identities in such short segments. This is one I would love to come back to at a different phase of life or, especially, in a book club or class to help me retain the concepts more effectively and substantially.
This book tells the story of four mothers and four daughters, going back and forth in time as we discover each of their "origin stories." Perhaps more than anything else, this is a story about the relationships between mothers and daughters and how communication barriers are erected between them. Each story is at least a little bit heartbreaking, and while each one can stand alone, it is especially profound to read these stories together, developing a sense of the relationships among the characters.
I loved these stories and Amy Tan's beautiful writing, and I am amazed by the way she was able to write in different voices for each character, truly developing their identities in such short segments. This is one I would love to come back to at a different phase of life or, especially, in a book club or class to help me retain the concepts more effectively and substantially.