The Joy Luck Club

If you are searching for a book to read not purely for entertainment, but also as an educational material focusing on dealing with life’s hardships, especially as women, “The Joy Luck Club” is the one you want. Written by Amy Tan, “The Joy Luck Club” presents a wide range of themes, including filial responsibility, ancestry and traditions, superstitions, the American transformation of Chinese immigrants, and the empowerment of women. The inspirational novel narrates the stories of four mah jong “sisters”, each hiding an uneasy past underneath their joyful present. The story largely depicts how the life lessons these women have learned the hard way are passed on and applied in the lives of their daughters, who more or less follow in their mothers’ footsteps.


There was one character who grabbed most of my attention, for her stunning foreign costumes, her strength to swallow life’s harshness, and her filial dutifulness: An-mei’s mother. Besides this character, I also liked reading how the daughters removed their misunderstandings of their mothers and how they changed a strained mother-daughter relationship into a close one. Moreover, love relationship was also a major topic that got me interested into the plot because it can provide reference for me when I encounter similar problems in the future. 

Overall, “The Joy Luck Club” was a well-made movie because of its fascinating plot and enjoyable narration. I would rate the movie 9.5 out of 10, 0.5 off because the multi-layers of the story was a little confusing to follow. Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend “The Joy Luck Club” to every young adult who hopes to seek a happier life for themselves and their families.