Today's book, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, is not a new release. It was a book I often heard of in English classes, but I had never taken the time to read it.
Until now. You've probably all read this book, but it is fascinating. It follows the lives of several first-generation Chinese-American girls and their mothers. Each chapter is told from a different POV. While the book does have a happy ending, it is also hauntingly sad and painfully real.
Each of the daughters tries to find a new way of life, rejecting the traditional Chinese of their mothers and seeking to be fully American. They are not successful, however, and discover that in rejecting their mothers' ways of life, they've also rejected the wisdom and knowledge that come with age and experience. The girls experience heartache and failure as adults, struggling with self-identity.
Tan also gives a realistic view into the depraved lives each mother lived in China before making her way to the United States. The stories are horrifying and sad, especially when the loss of children is involved.
Overall, this book is definitely a classic. It has withstood the test of time. I'm going to have to give it a B.
A = Buy this book NOW
B = Buy this when you can
C = Check it out from the library
D = Don't bother reading it
F = Burn it
