Drum Roll Please...
A little poignant at times but nonetheless it was enjoyable. I just can’t help the fact that Amy Tan throws so much information at the reader. It annoys me somewhat because I can never remember if I’m reading about the mother or daughter. I think it might have better if she divided the sections by mother and daughter, thus creating four sections, which would have let my brain rest for a while.
The Joy Luck Club, as a whole is very enticing. In the last book that we read, Things Fall Apart, we focused on father/son relationships. Now it’s the mother/daughter relationships to come to the forefront. Funny at times (I like the quote from pg. 142 “…‘Ni kan,” [You watch]…as Shirley’s eyes flooded with tears. ‘You already know how. Don’t need talent for crying!’”) but at other times it can be a heart wrenching novel with a very simple subject- The focus of relationships between Chinese women and their American born daughters. Not only Chinese women, but all mothers and daughters at some point in their lives- where a mother’s goal is nothing but a fruitless dream that was simply a fool’s errand in the eyes of a daughter. I must admit that I jumped for joy when I read about Jing-Mei meeting her half-sisters. *Wipes a tear* Very, very heartfelt moment.
Amy Tan has gotten 5 stars on her characterization in the book. As for the actual story, I suppose a 4.5 would do. I mean, think about it- Don’t you kind of feel like each story was the same as the next? I don't know how many ancient Chinese secrets could actually be revealed in the latter half of the book, or perhaps even how many more proverbs about looking into rice bowls to predict husbands could possibly be analyzed that hadn't already been covered in the first half of the book. Adding on to that fact, I cannot call this book "great literature" as I have with The Odyssey or Julius Caesar, because it simply isn't. Don't interpret my feelings as "Great literature" being stories I like because that would be a lie- I did not like Julius Caesar but I still considered it great literature. Nevertheless, Amy Tan’s realism has far passed by expectation and the dialogue has been written with vigor, never stopping to sensationalize a part at all but giving you a dose what it means to be part of The Joy Luck Club.
The Joy Luck Club, as a whole is very enticing. In the last book that we read, Things Fall Apart, we focused on father/son relationships. Now it’s the mother/daughter relationships to come to the forefront. Funny at times (I like the quote from pg. 142 “…‘Ni kan,” [You watch]…as Shirley’s eyes flooded with tears. ‘You already know how. Don’t need talent for crying!’”) but at other times it can be a heart wrenching novel with a very simple subject- The focus of relationships between Chinese women and their American born daughters. Not only Chinese women, but all mothers and daughters at some point in their lives- where a mother’s goal is nothing but a fruitless dream that was simply a fool’s errand in the eyes of a daughter. I must admit that I jumped for joy when I read about Jing-Mei meeting her half-sisters. *Wipes a tear* Very, very heartfelt moment.
Amy Tan has gotten 5 stars on her characterization in the book. As for the actual story, I suppose a 4.5 would do. I mean, think about it- Don’t you kind of feel like each story was the same as the next? I don't know how many ancient Chinese secrets could actually be revealed in the latter half of the book, or perhaps even how many more proverbs about looking into rice bowls to predict husbands could possibly be analyzed that hadn't already been covered in the first half of the book. Adding on to that fact, I cannot call this book "great literature" as I have with The Odyssey or Julius Caesar, because it simply isn't. Don't interpret my feelings as "Great literature" being stories I like because that would be a lie- I did not like Julius Caesar but I still considered it great literature. Nevertheless, Amy Tan’s realism has far passed by expectation and the dialogue has been written with vigor, never stopping to sensationalize a part at all but giving you a dose what it means to be part of The Joy Luck Club.
posted by Rebecca at 7:37 PM
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