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A review by klboehm
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
3.0
Four Chinese mothers and their daughters share stories about their lives in China and in America. “A mother knows best. A mother knows what’s inside of you.“ A main storyline revolves around the mother of twin girls who flees her homeland in China following the invasion of Japan during World War II. The game of mahjong is also central, because the four mothers who play together for years on end as the self-titled Joy Luck Club serve as four of the speakers. Each mother-daughter story is presented as a self-contained anecdote but with some common threads.
Ancient Chinese parables and superstitions serve as guideposts for the women to help them cope with adversity and make decisions. “Tears do not wash away your sorrows. They feed someone else’s joy. That is why you must learn to swallow your own tears.” The respect the daughters have for for their mothers is key, but communications with one another are often muddied by unfulfilled expectations. All of the main characters are women, so the book has a decidedly feminine sensibility.
The 2005 three-hour audiobook is narrated by the author, Amy Tan, who has a lovely voice, but her intonation is similar for each character. Unless you can read the audiobook chapter titles as the story progresses, it is difficult to follow which one is speaking. Unfamiliar names in a foreign language add to the confusion. Therefore, reading a digital or paper copy of this title is strongly suggested. Since its publication in 1998, the book has served as a window into the lives of Chinese and Chinese-American women and is still widely read in American schools.
Ancient Chinese parables and superstitions serve as guideposts for the women to help them cope with adversity and make decisions. “Tears do not wash away your sorrows. They feed someone else’s joy. That is why you must learn to swallow your own tears.” The respect the daughters have for for their mothers is key, but communications with one another are often muddied by unfulfilled expectations. All of the main characters are women, so the book has a decidedly feminine sensibility.
The 2005 three-hour audiobook is narrated by the author, Amy Tan, who has a lovely voice, but her intonation is similar for each character. Unless you can read the audiobook chapter titles as the story progresses, it is difficult to follow which one is speaking. Unfamiliar names in a foreign language add to the confusion. Therefore, reading a digital or paper copy of this title is strongly suggested. Since its publication in 1998, the book has served as a window into the lives of Chinese and Chinese-American women and is still widely read in American schools.