If You Like 'The Valley of Amazement,' You May Also Like...

Amy Tan’s The Valley of Amazement is a sweeping, evocative epic saga 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. (Publisher's Summary)

If you loved The Valley of Amazement, then you may also like the read-alike books listed below. These books are recommended by NoveList, our readers advisory database.

Night in Shanhai by Nicole Mones

Touring Shanghai in 1936 as part of a black jazz orchestra, Thomas Greene meets Song Yuhua, translator for one of Japan's biggest crime bosses, and through friendship and love they weather the Japanese invasion together. (Publisher's Summary)

Invisible Mountain by Carolina De Robertis

Follows the story of the fiercely independent women of the Firielli family as their lives, relationships, and the pursuit of their dreams take them from Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo and the United States. (Publisher's Summary)

Hanna's Daughers by Marianne Fredriksson
A Swedish writer chronicles more than a century in the lives of three extraordinary women against the background of the unforgiving Swedish countryside, in an evocative novel that captures the contributions of women to Scandinavian history. (Publisher's Summary)

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Forced to leave Shanghai when their father sells them to California suitors, sisters May and Pearl struggle to adapt to life in 1930s Los Angeles while still bound to old customs, as they face discrimination and confront a life-altering secret.(Publisher's Summary) 

China Dolls by Lisa See

"It’s 1938 in San Francisco: a world’s fair is preparing to open on Treasure Island, a war is brewing overseas, and the city is alive with possibilities. Grace, Helen, and Ruby, three young women from very different backgrounds, meet by chance at the exclusive and glamorous Forbidden City nightclub. Grace Lee, an American-born Chinese girl, has fled the Midwest with nothing but heartache, talent, and a pair of dancing shoes. Helen Fong lives with her extended family in Chinatown, where her traditional parents insist that she guard her reputation like a piece of jade. The stunning Ruby Tom challenges the boundaries of convention at every turn with her defiant attitude and no-holds-barred ambition.

The girls become fast friends, relying on one another through unexpected challenges and shifting fortunes. When their dark secrets are exposed and the invisible thread of fate binds them even tighter, they find the strength and resilience to reach for their dreams. But after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, paranoia and suspicion threaten to destroy their lives, and a shocking act of betrayal changes everything." (Publisher's Summary)

Book-to-Movie: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Lisa See's riveting work of historical fiction Snow Flower and the Secret Fan tells the story of two best friends in ancient China, following their lives from girlhood to motherhood and old age. They commemorate special moments in their lives on a silk fan, until a miscommunication threatens to tear their friendship apart. The film adaptation, which premieres in movies today, also introduces a second storyline set in modern times. Check out the book that inspired this blockbuster film adaptation! (And don't forget to submit your review to the Summer Reading Club for a chance to win the prize of the week!)

New Historical Fiction

Escape to exotic places and times with these new historical fiction releases! Join An American Heiress as she schemes to marry a cash-strapped British aristocrat. In Dreams of Joy, sequel to the bestselling Shanghai Girls, journey with a Chinese-American girl to 1950s China in search of her real father. Get trapped in Nazi-occupied France in The Last Time I Saw Paris, or join the Yukon Gold rush in Moment in the Sun. Or go back in time all the way to 69 AD, where two ambitious wives are powerful Daughters of Rome. And remember, you can get a monthly annotated list of popular new historical fiction releases sent directly to your inbox with the library's NextReads newsletter!

Book-to-movie Alert: Snow Flower & the Secret Fan

Fox Searchlight has released a trailer for Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, the film adaptation of Lisa See's novel about two female best friends in ancient China. The movie introduces a second, parallel storyline set in modern-day Shanghai, which follows the descendents of these two friends. Directed by Wayne Wang, it stars Bingbing Li, Gianna Jun, Vivian Wu and Hugh Jackman. Scheduled for release on July 15, you still have four months to check out the book and read it before going to see the movie this summer.