The Joy Luck Club

THE JOY LUCK CLUB
by Amy Tan

Nominations: LA Times Finalist 1989, National Book Finalist 1989, National Book Critics Circle Finalist 1989

Date Read: December 19, 2001

The Joy Luck Club follows four Chinese families who have immigrated to the US and form a mahjong club known as The Joy Luck Club. The novel unfolds similar to a mahjong game, with four parts divided into four sections, creating sixteen chapters.

The emphasis here is on mothers and daughters and how they relate to one another. The mothers have sacrificed so much of themselves to be where they are now, keeping much of their past secret in order that their daughters do not have to suffer the same way they have. These complicated relationships show how mothers and daughters love each other, hurt each other, yet ultimately forgive each other.

The Joy Luck Club has been widely criticized for perpetuating racist stereotypes about Asian culture, yet others have focused on how skillfully Tan has presented the dynamic and ever-evolving way in which women relate to each other. 

I enjoyed reading how culture runs through us and is not easily shed when immigrating to another country and how that identification defines our judgement and attitudes even in a different context. Easily readable, complex, funny, yet often cruel and heartbreaking, this is a novel that will remain popular for decades.

Looking Forward: The Hundred Secret Senses

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