The Valley of Amazement - Hardcover

Amy Tan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0007456271 ISBN 13: 9780007456277

Publisher: Fourth Estate, 2013

Synopsis

[ THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT By Tan, Amy ( Author ) Hardcover Nov-05-2013

About this title

Review:

Praise for ‘The Valley of Amazement’:

‘Tan explores, sensitively, the edges of some thorny topics ... Chinese-Americans are among the most dynamic, and socially cohesive, ethnic groups in the US ... Tan is one of their leading voices ... Tan’s fiction is, as always, hugely readable.’ Sunday Times

‘Tan, who was born in the US to Chinese immigrant parents, is a gifted storyteller ... Just as Violet is a complex character beyond her Asian and white ethnic roots, Tan’s large-hearted, florid and ragged tale goes beyond casual stereotypes. This is one writer’s particular idiom and vision of the world – and within that she offers us a rich cast of characters who both repel and compel.’ Financial Times

‘Admirers of Amy Tan will love her latest blockbuster ... a warm, expansive story, examining the subtle bonds between mothers and daughters.’ Mail on Sunday

‘The characters are wonderful. You can’t help but fall in love with people who are named Cracked Egg or Magic Cloud ...For fans of historical fiction, ‘The Valley of Amazement’ offers a fascinating insight into a hidden world belonging to a bygone era, as it flits from harrowing to humorous.’ Stylist Magazine

‘Expansive, poised and, at times, heartbreaking, this delicately-spun tale, which has the grace of a courtly dance and the subtleties of a thousand chess moves, will be loved by fans of Tan’s bestseller “The Joy Luck Club”.’ Sunday Express

‘She has surpassed herself ... She has by no means exhausted her supply of fictional women who pass to each other, through the generations, a determination not to be broken, no matter what.’ Independent on Sunday

‘Packs enough drama to keep readers going till the end.’ Guardian

‘Historic sweep mixes with erotic candour in a heady mix, brought to an excellent bake by the skillful Amy Tan.’ Daily Mail

‘A lush historical epic.’ Vogue

‘A vivid portrait of life in 19th Century China, with some rather saucy Fifty Shades-style sex scenes thrown in.’ Good Housekeeping

From the Back Cover:

New York Times bestseller The Valley of Amazement is an evocative epic of two women's intertwined fates and their search for identity--from the lavish parlors of Shanghai courtesans to the fog-shrouded mountains of a remote Chinese village

Shanghai, 1912. Violet Minturn is the daughter of the American madam of the city's most exclusive courtesan house. But when the Ching dynasty is overturned, Violet is separated from her mother and forced to become a "virgin courtesan." Spanning more than forty years and two continents, Amy Tan's newest novel maps the lives of three generations of women--and the mystery of an evocative painting known as "The Valley of Amazement." Moving from the collapse of China's last imperial dynasty to the growth of anti-foreign sentiment and the inner workings of courtesan houses, The Valley of Amazement interweaves the story of Violet, a celebrated Shanghai courtesan on a quest for both love and identity, and her mother, Lucia, an American woman whose search for penance leads them to an unexpected reunion.

The Valley of Amazement is a deeply moving narrative of family secrets, legacies, and the profound connections between mothers and daughters, reminiscent of the compelling territory Tan so expertly mapped in The Joy Luck Club. With her characteristic wisdom, grace, and humor, Tan conjures up a story of inherited trauma, desire, deception, and the power and stubbornness of love.

About this edition

• Publisher: Fourth Estate
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0007456271
• ISBN 13: 9780007456277
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 608