The Valley of Amazement

Young Violet lives in 1905 Shanghai with her mother. As she explains in first-person narration, “When I was seven, I knew exactly who I was: a thoroughly American girl in race, manners, and speech, whose mother, Lulu Minturn, was the only white woman who owned a first-class courtesan house in Shanghai” (1).

Unlike prostitutes, the women who work for Lulu are courted as long-term mistresses by their customers. The House of Lulu Mimi is also a social club where Westerners mingle with wealthy Chinese. Lulu is an astute businesswoman who brokers various deals for her clientele. Patrons don’t vie for her sexual favors; they compete for her financial influence.

Years earlier, Lulu bought a supposedly haunted house and hired a fake feng shui master to exorcise the ghost of its previous owner. The ceremony was witnessed by crowds of people, immediately garnering attention for the new courtesan house. Lulu reinvented herself by taking the Chinese name of Lulu Mimi and calling her house the Hidden Jade Path, which was the western translation of her Asian name.

Lulu wants Violet to have a good education, but girls at the local school refuse to accept her among them. Lulu finally resorts to hiring tutors for her daughter. Violet continues to feel alienated even at home because she’s a Westerner surrounded by Chinese. Her only friend is a fierce little cat named Carlotta. As she gets older, Violet is curious about what goes on in the various bedrooms at the courtesan house, and she takes to spying on the Cloud Beauties who occupy the southwest wing:

I also knew what the Cloud Beauties really felt about their suitors and patrons. And that knowledge gave me a secret power—one of no particular use, but it was power nonetheless, as valuable as any trinket in my treasure box (31).

Magic Cloud is the only Cloud Beauty who is kind to Violet. When Lulu sends Magic Cloud away for lying about her age, Violet is devastated. Lulu explains that Magic Cloud betrayed the house by lying. Angry that her friend is gone, Violet vows that she will always betray her mother. After this point, Violet notices her mother withdrawing her affection. The two no longer spend afternoons together. Violet suspects that her threat to betray Lulu has caused this new alienation.

As Violet’s eighth birthday approaches, Lulu says the two will celebrate by going to lunch at a new French restaurant in the area. Violet is thrilled and hopes that this is a sign that her mother really does love her more than anyone else. On Violet’s birthday, her mother doesn’t arrive to take her to lunch. After waiting for three hours, Violet throws a temper tantrum and smashes a butterfly case, an amethyst bird, an amber egg, and a magnifying glass. Her mother’s business partner, Golden Dove, tries to reason with Violet, pointing out that the girl just smashed all her birthday gifts. The woman then says that the reason for Lulu’s absence is that she received upsetting news. She just learned that Violet’s father is dead.

This information confuses Violet because she was told that her American father died years before. She runs into her mother’s office to confront her, and her mother reconcile as Lulu tries to answer all Violet’s questions about her father. Later that same night, Violet realizes her father is alive when she hears her mother cursing that she wishes he really was dead.

A month later, Violet gets into an argument with one of the Cloud Beauties, who calls her a half-breed. Violet later takes a good look at her features in the mirror, noting, “I recognized too clearly the signs of my unknown father: my slightly rounded nose, the tipped-up nostrils, the fat below my eyebrows, the smooth roundness of my forehead, the plump cheeks and lips” (66). Violet now believes her unknown father must be Chinese. She fears that her features will change as she grows older, and she will resemble him even more. If her mother hates him enough to wish him dead, she must hate Violet just as much.