{"product_id":"the-valley-of-amazement-isbn-9780062107312","title":"The Valley of Amazement","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmy Tan’s \u003cem\u003eThe Valley of Amazement\u003c\/em\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpanning more than forty years and two continents, \u003cem\u003eThe Valley of Amazement\u003c\/em\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA deeply evocative narrative about the profound connections between mothers and daughters, \u003cem\u003eThe Valley of Amazement\u003c\/em\u003e returns readers to the compelling territory of Amy Tan’s \u003cem\u003eThe Joy Luck Club\u003c\/em\u003e. With her characteristic insight and humor, she conjures a story of inherited trauma, desire and deception, and the power and stubbornness of love.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Joy Luck Club\u003c\/em\u003e Amy Tan brings us her latest novel: a sweeping, 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\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShanghai, 1912. Violet Minturn is the privileged 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 in a cruel act of chicanery and forced to become a \"virgin courtesan.\" Half-Chinese and half-American, Violet grapples with her place in the worlds of East and West—until she is able to merge her two halves, empowering her to become a shrewd courtesan who excels in the business of seduction and illusion, though she still struggles to understand who she is.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBack in 1897 San Francisco, Violet's mother, Lucia, chooses a disastrous course as a sixteen-year-old, when her infatuation with a Chinese painter compels her to leave her home for Shanghai. Shocked by her lover's adherence to Chinese traditions, she is unable to change him, despite her unending American ingenuity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFueled by betrayals, both women refuse to submit to fate and societal expectations, persisting in their quests to recover what was taken from them: respect; a secure future; and, most poignantly, love from their parents, lovers, and children. To reclaim their lives, they take separate journeys—to a backwater hamlet in China, the wealthy environs of the Hudson River Valley, and, ultimately, the unknown areas of their hearts, where they discover what remains after their many failings to love and be loved. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpanning more than forty years and two continents, \u003cem\u003eThe Valley of Amazement\u003c\/em\u003e transports readers from the collapse of China's last imperial dynasty to the beginning of the Republic and recaptures the lost world of old Shanghai through the inner workings of courtesan houses and the lives of the foreigners living in the International Settlement, both erased by World War II. A deeply evocative narrative of the profound connections between mothers and daughters, imbued with Tan's characteristic insight and humor, \u003cem\u003eThe Valley of Amazement\u003c\/em\u003e conjures a story of inherited trauma, desire and deception, and the power and obstinacy of love. \u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“[Tan] is a gifted storyteller… 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.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[Tan’s] fans will appreciate the book’s multigenerational narrative and compelling look at a society in which men held the power but women gave each other strength.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMore magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Fans who’ve waited eight years for a new novel by Tan (\u003ci\u003eThe Joy Luck Club\u003c\/i\u003e) can look forward to a lengthy, decades-long soak in Violet’s sentimental and erotic education.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGood Housekeeping (online)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This utterly engrossing novel is highly recommended to all readers who appreciate an author’s ability to transport them to a new world they will not forget. As a plus, this reviewer sensed the harbinger of a sequel by the last page.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Tan is a skilled storyteller. . . A satisfyingly complete, expertly paced yarn.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Tan’s prodigious, sumptuously descriptive, historically grounded, sexually candid, and elaborately plotted novel counters violence, exploitation, betrayal, and tragic cultural divides with beauty, wit, and transcendent friendship between women.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe author of The Joy Luck Club\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Hundred Secret Senses\u003c\/i\u003e can deliver a sweeping family saga like nobody else.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNewsday (Fall Preview)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Tan’s beautiful, seamless prose presents fans with a true sense of time and place, catching them up in the heartbreaking tragedy of the plot… Tan’s creativity is always a force, and in this epic tale her ability to captivate shines.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRomantic Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Tan hasn’t written a new novel in eight years but THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT was worth the wait.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMiami Herald\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Tan has created a vivid work of literature, full of deftly drawn and colorful characters, exploring the idea that in a world of grief and cruelty, where a woman’s fate is not hers - or her mother’s - to determine, what she can keep is her self.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSeattle Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The deeply evocative narrative about the profound connections between mothers and daughters will return readers to the compelling territory of Tan’s \u003ci\u003eThe Joy Luck Club\u003c\/i\u003e. Tan’s characteristic insight and humor conjures a story of “inherited trauma, desire and deception, and the power and stubbornness of love.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNorthwest Asian Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Those who have been waiting for Tan’s novel, her first in eight years, will not be disappointed.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eInternational Examiner\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Amy Tan’s new novel THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT is a long and luxurious read, offering riches on almost every page… Tan laces her story with colorful characters… a little comedy, enough tragedy, and plenty of passion and historical detail.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAtlanta Journal-Constitution\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT] combines vivid historical details and epic sweep across several decades and two continents with intimate portraits of flawed but engaging women whose resourcefulness and courage are sometimes astounding.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTampa Bay Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Vivid, compassionate, and expertly done… Tan has crafted characters so realistic they seem to breathe and a tense world that will keep readers on the edge of their seats for all 589 pages.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBustle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A feast of a novel… Tan deftly draws the reader along as she explores the nature of identity, the joys and pitfalls of love, the ripple effects of the choices we make and the role of fate in our lives.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“She has created such an enticing portrait of Shanghai that she makes us nostalgic for a city we can never know.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBoston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT is an engrossing read that effortlessly draws you in and captures both the sweet taste of acceptance and the bitter taste of disappointment and resentment with an almost painful accuracy… a compelling and emotional read.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Amy tan creates another stunning portrait of mothers and daughters.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSt. Paul Pioneer Press\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In her new novel, Tan ditches her magic realist fugues and enters a brutal landscape of Shanghai courtesans, exploring it with new depths of tenderness and pain.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[Tan is] an accomplished storyteller… the underlying appeal of this book is the weave she makes of the three generations of Minturn women…struggling to accept their fate and each other.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Daily News\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Amy Tan’s latest novel is an engrossing, multigenerational saga....grounded by Tan’s ability to bring tragically flawed characters and exotic locales to vivid life.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eParade\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Tan brings to life a world with which few are familiar. And it’s fascinating. Her descriptions of the countryside, of the houses, of the lifestyle and the customers are well-drawn and multi-layered. Her characters are brought to life as three-dimensional, complicated people.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAssociated Press\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“With THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT (Ecco), Amy Tan reaffirms her reputation as a master storyteller, creating intriguing settings, unforgettable characters, and twisty plotlines.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eO, the Oprah Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT is] akin to her earlier work, yet more sophisticated, and a fine reminder that Amy Tan is herself a master of illusion, and one of the best storytellers around.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNPR\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[Tan] still sweeps you up in the wildly changing fortunes of a whip-smart courtesan.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This is an Amy Tan novel, so its heart is the push-pull of mother-daughter relationships… The journey with Violet, her mother and her daughter is one of separate winding paths, each woman struggling to reach the light.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[A] novel that grabs your soul.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFans of Tan’s previous works (including The Joy Luck Club) will rejoice when they get their hands on this book. - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eReal Simple\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Here are strong women struggling to survive all that life has thrown at them, created by a writer skilled at evoking the roil of emotions and made exploits they experience when they follow their hearts.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Fans will recognize signature Tan themes: mother-daughter relationships, clashes between cultures… threads of hmor and emotional insight make Violet’s struggle to survive, and ultimately forgive, a journey worth sharing.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePeople\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It’s been a long eight years since Amy Tan’s last novel, but THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT proves that good things--breathtaking things--come to those who wait.  I was completely drawn into Violet’s life-her tragedies, her heartbreak, her humor. I couldn’t put the book down, and the images and even the most minor characters continue to haunt me.  It’s wonderful to be back in Amy’s magical and amazing world.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLisa See, author of international bestsellers Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, and Shanghai Girls\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It’s been a long eight years since Amy Tan’s last novel, but THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT proves that good things--breathtaking things--come to those who wait. [...] It’s wonderful to be back in Amy’s magical and amazing world.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLisa See, author of international bestsellers Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, and Shanghai Girls\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Amy Tan is one of our blackest-belted scriveners, and this is her masterwork.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMary Karr, author of the New York Times bestsellers The Liars' Club, Cherry, and Lit\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ecco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44888681513189,"sku":"NP9780062107312","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780062107312.jpg?v=1730229608","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-valley-of-amazement-isbn-9780062107312","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}