Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement is a sweeping, evocative epic of two
women's intertwined fates and their search for identity, that moves from
the lavish parlors of Shanghai courtesans to the fog-shrouded mountains
of a remote Chinese village.
Spanning more than forty years and two continents, The Valley of
Amazement resurrects pivotal episodes in history: from the collapse of
China's last imperial dynasty, to the rise of the Republic, the
explosive growth of lucrative foreign trade and anti-foreign sentiment,
to the inner workings of courtesan houses and the lives of the foreign
"Shanghailanders" living in the International Settlement, both erased by
World War II.
A deeply evocative narrative about the profound connections between
mothers and daughters, The Valley of Amazement returns readers to the
compelling territory of Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club. With her
characteristic insight and humor, she conjures a story of inherited
trauma, desire and deception, and the power and stubbornness of love.