Book Sidekick: The Valley of Amazement (Unofficial)

WARNING: This is an unofficial reading Sidekick designed to heighten your enjoyment and understanding of The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan. Do not buy this Sidekick until you first have a copy of the original work. BookBuddy is an independent web learning company with a mission to bring the joy of reading and insightful discussion of today's best novels to readers everywhere. As you read the original work, our Sidekick is the perfect complement, filled with all sorts of fun, insightful goodies to help you get the most out of the novel.

Read this expert analysis alongside The Valley of Amazement to gain more insight into Amy Tan's depiction of early 20th-century Shanghai. With the help of this analysis, compare the roles of women in this historic period while discovering new insights into personal identity and the relationships that influence psychological development.

Amy Tan provides a compelling story within a fascinating historic setting in her latest novel, The Valley of Amazement. As a Chinese-American woman living in Shanghai's International Settlement in the early 20th century, Violet struggles with her identity. To add to the conflict, the protagonist lives with her mother at a popular courtesan house. Amy Tan paints a detailed picture of the hostile world of sexual exploitation and oppression. Readers explore the social hierarchy of women in this culture as they follow Violet's story in this Bildungsroman, The Valley of Amazement. The author focuses on identity and oppression as Violet goes through many transformations in order to survive. Between her career as a courtesan and her multicultural background, Violet must learn to accept herself as a whole. With sexual content, The Valley of Amazement depicts graphic scenes meant for an adult audience.