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Rules for Virgins
In her startlingly sensual new story, “Rules for Virgins”—this 43-page jewel of a tale is the first fiction she has published in six years—beloved bestselling author Amy Tan (“The Joy Luck Club,” “The Bonesetter’s Daughter”) takes us deep into the illicit world of 1912 Shanghai, where beautiful courtesans mercilessly compete for the patronage of wealthy gentlemen. For the women, the contest is deadly serious, a perilous game of economic survival that, if played well, can set them up for life as mistresses of the rich and prominent. There is no room for error, however: erotic power is hard to achieve and harder to maintain, especially in the loftiest social circles.
Enter veteran seducer, Magic Gourd, formerly one of Shanghai’s “Top Ten Beauties” and now the advisor and attendant of Violet, an aspiring but inexperienced courtesan. Violet may have the youth and the allure, but Magic Gourd has the cunning and the knowledge without which the younger woman is sure to fail. These ancient tricks of the trade aren't written down, though; to pass them on to her student, Magic Gourd must reach back into her own professional past, bringing her lessons alive with stories and anecdotes from a career spent charming and manipulating men who should have known better but rarely did.
The world of sexual intrigue that Tan reveals in "Rules for Virgins" actually existed once, and she spares no detail in recreating it. But this story is more than intriguing (and sometimes shocking) historical literary fiction. Besides inviting us inside a life that few writers but Tan could conjure up, the intimate confessions of Magic Gourd add up to a kind of military manual for the War of the Sexes’ female combatants. The wisdom conveyed is ancient, specific, and timeless, exposing the workings of vanity and folly, calculation and desire that define the mysterious human heart.
Enter veteran seducer, Magic Gourd, formerly one of Shanghai’s “Top Ten Beauties” and now the advisor and attendant of Violet, an aspiring but inexperienced courtesan. Violet may have the youth and the allure, but Magic Gourd has the cunning and the knowledge without which the younger woman is sure to fail. These ancient tricks of the trade aren't written down, though; to pass them on to her student, Magic Gourd must reach back into her own professional past, bringing her lessons alive with stories and anecdotes from a career spent charming and manipulating men who should have known better but rarely did.
The world of sexual intrigue that Tan reveals in "Rules for Virgins" actually existed once, and she spares no detail in recreating it. But this story is more than intriguing (and sometimes shocking) historical literary fiction. Besides inviting us inside a life that few writers but Tan could conjure up, the intimate confessions of Magic Gourd add up to a kind of military manual for the War of the Sexes’ female combatants. The wisdom conveyed is ancient, specific, and timeless, exposing the workings of vanity and folly, calculation and desire that define the mysterious human heart.
43 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 3, 2011
164 people are currently reading
5247 people want to read
About the author
Amy Tan
115 books11.1k followersAmy Tan (Chinese: 譚恩美; pinyin: Tán Ēnměi; born February 19, 1952) is an American writer whose novels include The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, Saving Fish From Drowing, and The Valley of Amazement. She is the author of two memoirs, The Opposite of Fate and Where the Past Begins. Her two children’s books are The Chinese Siamese Cat and The Moon Lady. She is also the co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of The Joy Luck, the librettist of the opera The Bonesetter’s Daughter, and the creative consultant to the PBS animated series Sagwa the Chinese Chinese Cat.
Tan is an instructor with MasterClass on writing, memory and imagination. She is featured in the American Masters documentary Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and recently received the National Humanities Medal. She serves on the board of American Bird Conservancy.
Her forthcoming book The Backyard Bird Chronicles began as a journal in 2016, when she turned to nature for calm. She also began taking drawing classes with John Muir Laws (The Laws Guide to Nature Journaling and Drawing, and The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds). During the pandemic shutdown, she drew birds only in her backyard, documenting behaviors she found puzzling. Over time she identified 64 species of birds that have visited her backyard in Marin County. By 2022, she had more than nine journals of sketches and notes, which her editor at Knopf suggested she publish. The book, which will be released in April 2024, has already received high praise:
“Much of great writing comes from great interest, and in The Backyard Bird Chronicles, Amy Tan shows us how the world fascinates her, especially the birds. The result is both unexpected and spectacular.”
—Ann Patchett, author of These Precious Days
“What an enchanting and illuminating book! How lucky for us that Amy Tan has turned her genius, her deep empathy and insight, her keen eye for what is telling, to birds. Every page of these chronicles radiates warm curiosity, wonder, and delight.”
—Jennifer Ackerman, The Genius of Birds
“This is one of the most infectious and convincing books about nature I’ve read. For the bird-watcher, the would-be bird-watcher, or for the bird-watching skeptic, this offers great delight and unexpected intrigue. Through Tan’s ecstatic eyes, what could be a dry treatise on ornithological happenings becomes something far more fun and much more profound. It’s really a book about seeing.”
—Dave Eggers, author of Ungrateful Mammals
“Anybody even mildly interested in birds, or thinking about getting interested in birds (which are, after all, the indicator genus for the health of the planet), will want this book perched on their shelf, if only for the gift of Amy Tan’s eye and the example she gives us of how to pay attention. What a treasure.”
—Robert Hass, Pulitzer Prize-Winning author of Summer Snow: New Poems
“Backyard Bird Chronicles is fun reading. It shows how we can become engaged emotionally, literally and artistically with the natural world—to joyfully learn about the most accessible and yet wild animals, the often rare and beautiful birds that choose to come and live near and sometimes with us.”
—Bernd Heinrich, author of Mind of the Raven
“With this book as your guide, embark into the bird world Amy Tan. This is an intimate view, a sort-of love affair with the birds and their behavior, that Amy has come to know over several years. Within the leafy universe of her own backyard, she has quietly beheld, patiently observed, and taken in-depth notations of an extensive array of bird species. In colorful detail, she describes various bird’s behavior, while capturing their beauty in exquisitely rendered illustrations. Species include fearsome predators and watchful prey, long distance migrants and hometown residents. Through her unique insight and gift as an author and
Tan is an instructor with MasterClass on writing, memory and imagination. She is featured in the American Masters documentary Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and recently received the National Humanities Medal. She serves on the board of American Bird Conservancy.
Her forthcoming book The Backyard Bird Chronicles began as a journal in 2016, when she turned to nature for calm. She also began taking drawing classes with John Muir Laws (The Laws Guide to Nature Journaling and Drawing, and The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds). During the pandemic shutdown, she drew birds only in her backyard, documenting behaviors she found puzzling. Over time she identified 64 species of birds that have visited her backyard in Marin County. By 2022, she had more than nine journals of sketches and notes, which her editor at Knopf suggested she publish. The book, which will be released in April 2024, has already received high praise:
“Much of great writing comes from great interest, and in The Backyard Bird Chronicles, Amy Tan shows us how the world fascinates her, especially the birds. The result is both unexpected and spectacular.”
—Ann Patchett, author of These Precious Days
“What an enchanting and illuminating book! How lucky for us that Amy Tan has turned her genius, her deep empathy and insight, her keen eye for what is telling, to birds. Every page of these chronicles radiates warm curiosity, wonder, and delight.”
—Jennifer Ackerman, The Genius of Birds
“This is one of the most infectious and convincing books about nature I’ve read. For the bird-watcher, the would-be bird-watcher, or for the bird-watching skeptic, this offers great delight and unexpected intrigue. Through Tan’s ecstatic eyes, what could be a dry treatise on ornithological happenings becomes something far more fun and much more profound. It’s really a book about seeing.”
—Dave Eggers, author of Ungrateful Mammals
“Anybody even mildly interested in birds, or thinking about getting interested in birds (which are, after all, the indicator genus for the health of the planet), will want this book perched on their shelf, if only for the gift of Amy Tan’s eye and the example she gives us of how to pay attention. What a treasure.”
—Robert Hass, Pulitzer Prize-Winning author of Summer Snow: New Poems
“Backyard Bird Chronicles is fun reading. It shows how we can become engaged emotionally, literally and artistically with the natural world—to joyfully learn about the most accessible and yet wild animals, the often rare and beautiful birds that choose to come and live near and sometimes with us.”
—Bernd Heinrich, author of Mind of the Raven
“With this book as your guide, embark into the bird world Amy Tan. This is an intimate view, a sort-of love affair with the birds and their behavior, that Amy has come to know over several years. Within the leafy universe of her own backyard, she has quietly beheld, patiently observed, and taken in-depth notations of an extensive array of bird species. In colorful detail, she describes various bird’s behavior, while capturing their beauty in exquisitely rendered illustrations. Species include fearsome predators and watchful prey, long distance migrants and hometown residents. Through her unique insight and gift as an author and
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
December 17, 2011
Having read Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Bonesetter’s Daughter and A Hundred Secret Senses, I can honestly say that I am a die-hard Amy Tan fan! So I was so excited when I saw that she had written Rules for Virgins, a short novella spoken in the voice of an aging courtesan who is providing advice and “on-the-job” training to a virgin courtesan in China on the proverbial “eve” of her deflowering.
Like Ms. Tan’s other stories, the main theme revolves around traditional female roles in Chinese culture, but this time it addresses the role that the courtesan played in this society. Through this first-person advice session, the reader both learns the intricate technicalities of successful courtesanship, while also empathizing with the likes of young Violet, who is destined to have her heart broken and suffer a lonely, loveless life.
I am happy that Ms. Tan is working on a new full-length novel, The Valley of Amazement, to be released in Fall 2012. Welcome Back, Amy!
Like Ms. Tan’s other stories, the main theme revolves around traditional female roles in Chinese culture, but this time it addresses the role that the courtesan played in this society. Through this first-person advice session, the reader both learns the intricate technicalities of successful courtesanship, while also empathizing with the likes of young Violet, who is destined to have her heart broken and suffer a lonely, loveless life.
I am happy that Ms. Tan is working on a new full-length novel, The Valley of Amazement, to be released in Fall 2012. Welcome Back, Amy!
January 1, 2012
Not really a STORY, which bothered me. I'm a big Amy Tan fan, but this didn't have any of the traits that I usually admire in her work. The writing was fine, but empty. There was no emotion, no character development, no... movement. It was essentially a bunch of research presented as a monologue. Interesting/informative? Sure. But I expect more from Amy Tan than just that.
HOWEVER. If you look at this story simply as setup for Valley of Amazement -- the characters, the setting, the frame of mind -- then it at least accomplishes something, because I am interested in seeing an actual STORY blossom from this seed.
HOWEVER. If you look at this story simply as setup for Valley of Amazement -- the characters, the setting, the frame of mind -- then it at least accomplishes something, because I am interested in seeing an actual STORY blossom from this seed.
December 29, 2011
In 1912 Shanghai, being a courtesan is more than a career, it's a chance at independence. A smart girl can leverage a few years of seduction into a lifetime of security. Fortunately for new girl Violet, she's got famous former courtesan Magic Gourd to guide her. It's not just about pleasing rich men, it's about making alliances and planning for the long term. Violet has the youth and beauty, and Magic Gourd has the experience and a strategic mind any general would envy.
This is a beautiful piece of work. Perhaps not what you've come to expect from Amy Tan, but that's in no way a bad thing. This is what a military campaign would look like if you dressed it up in silk and set it loose on society. Think of those genteel southern ladies with a core of steel - they'll crush you underfoot while you apologize for making them get up - and you'll understand the tone here.
Magic Gourd lays out a manual for success through seduction - she's got plans, strategic retreats, and second strikes organized and ready to go. Fans of Memoirs Of A Geisha and A Geisha's Life will recognize the businesslike approach, but be warned, Magic Gourd is not one to worry about Violet's delicate sensibilities. They're selling sex, and the only thing that matters is putting it in a package that will net them the highest price.
Ultimately this is a tale of women's liberation. You use what you have, give men what they want, and charge them for the privilege. Youth and beauty don't last, but if you play your cards right you'll have enough to live the rest of your life on your own terms, and that is something you can't put a price on.
This is a beautiful piece of work. Perhaps not what you've come to expect from Amy Tan, but that's in no way a bad thing. This is what a military campaign would look like if you dressed it up in silk and set it loose on society. Think of those genteel southern ladies with a core of steel - they'll crush you underfoot while you apologize for making them get up - and you'll understand the tone here.
Magic Gourd lays out a manual for success through seduction - she's got plans, strategic retreats, and second strikes organized and ready to go. Fans of Memoirs Of A Geisha and A Geisha's Life will recognize the businesslike approach, but be warned, Magic Gourd is not one to worry about Violet's delicate sensibilities. They're selling sex, and the only thing that matters is putting it in a package that will net them the highest price.
Ultimately this is a tale of women's liberation. You use what you have, give men what they want, and charge them for the privilege. Youth and beauty don't last, but if you play your cards right you'll have enough to live the rest of your life on your own terms, and that is something you can't put a price on.
August 6, 2021
I picked up this short story on sale for kindle awhile ago, and I’m trying to prioritize my own books (so hard)! It’s an experienced and aging courtesan giving advice to her newest charge, the young virgin added to the house. It isn’t for everyone, but boy can Amy Tan write! It makes me want to re-read The Joy Luck Club, because it reminded me of how well Tan writes about women throughout Chinese history.
December 8, 2011
A lovely, bawdy, novella that is set as a series of lessons given to a young courtesan by her older companion of the perils and advantages of working as a courtesan to Shanghai's elite in the early 20th century. Some might be disturbed by the content, but most should enjoy this one. Tan's first fiction in more than six years; it's very good to see that she hasn't lost her touch.
August 21, 2013
I will accompany you on the zither until your warbled notes don’t sound like two cats screeching over the same dead mouse.
Mosquito press
You are too young to know yet what nostalgia truly means. It takes time to become sentimental. But for the sake of your success, you must quickly learn. When you touch a man’s nostalgia, he is yours.
They make men think all flowers are pickpockets of the heart. You won’t find any courtesans like that in this house, so don’t you become one.
Here, we don’t go back and forth on the price. It is three dollars for a party, and it does not include riding on the stem. No argument.
Some of my clients reached the heights through eyes alone. You think that’s victory? Ha. Once the stem shrinks to normal, the man is no longer urgent. He’s content to go home.
We all thought he should have had his stem cut off and fed to the dogs, and the madam of the house thought so, too. She hired gangsters to track him down, and let’s just say that they fed that dog much more than his stem.
There is a type who thinks he can order up any kind of sex, like dishes on a menu.
Whatever any man requests, you should never degrade him for his desires, nor should you accept being degraded. If he’s drunk and pisses on you, ring the chimes and I will come and remove him from your room. Don’t accept extra money to let him do these things. You know what happens to a woman who lets herself be degraded? She winds up with a pimp and lies on the floor of a chophouse, where rickshaw pullers and laborers fuck her, one after another, a hundred a day. She never has a chance to close her legs or her mouth until she’s pounded into raw meat and dies. I’ve always wondered why those women don’t kill themselves. Maybe they think it’s their fate and if they endure it they will have a better life in the next. I would rather kill myself and return as a fly.
Just remember there is a difference between giving a man a glimpse and letting him examine the goods in detail.
Tomorrow, Vermillion’s maid will come with her threads and remove all the hair from your pudendum, armpits, and upper lip. A virgin must be pure white. And right now you are as hairy as a man. Curly hair on the pudendum is unattractive, like seaweed, not at all silky.
You might be with a man who seems quite virile at the party but is ashamed later that his warrior was more of a foot soldier.
Mosquito press
You are too young to know yet what nostalgia truly means. It takes time to become sentimental. But for the sake of your success, you must quickly learn. When you touch a man’s nostalgia, he is yours.
They make men think all flowers are pickpockets of the heart. You won’t find any courtesans like that in this house, so don’t you become one.
Here, we don’t go back and forth on the price. It is three dollars for a party, and it does not include riding on the stem. No argument.
Some of my clients reached the heights through eyes alone. You think that’s victory? Ha. Once the stem shrinks to normal, the man is no longer urgent. He’s content to go home.
We all thought he should have had his stem cut off and fed to the dogs, and the madam of the house thought so, too. She hired gangsters to track him down, and let’s just say that they fed that dog much more than his stem.
There is a type who thinks he can order up any kind of sex, like dishes on a menu.
Whatever any man requests, you should never degrade him for his desires, nor should you accept being degraded. If he’s drunk and pisses on you, ring the chimes and I will come and remove him from your room. Don’t accept extra money to let him do these things. You know what happens to a woman who lets herself be degraded? She winds up with a pimp and lies on the floor of a chophouse, where rickshaw pullers and laborers fuck her, one after another, a hundred a day. She never has a chance to close her legs or her mouth until she’s pounded into raw meat and dies. I’ve always wondered why those women don’t kill themselves. Maybe they think it’s their fate and if they endure it they will have a better life in the next. I would rather kill myself and return as a fly.
Just remember there is a difference between giving a man a glimpse and letting him examine the goods in detail.
Tomorrow, Vermillion’s maid will come with her threads and remove all the hair from your pudendum, armpits, and upper lip. A virgin must be pure white. And right now you are as hairy as a man. Curly hair on the pudendum is unattractive, like seaweed, not at all silky.
You might be with a man who seems quite virile at the party but is ashamed later that his warrior was more of a foot soldier.
December 13, 2011
MUCH BETTER THAN ‘SAVING FISH FROM DROWNING’.
“…you must know all the arts of enticement and master the balance of anticipation and reticence.”—page 5
Reading a bit like a big bag of fortune cookies, the message of Amy Tan’s latest, Byliner Publication (Great writers. Great stories. Readable in a single sitting.), ‘Rules for Virgins,’ seems to be that performance art will always be improved by good management, good training, and attention to detail. There is, however, a subtle, lyrical and gentle, tongue-in-cheek quality to this short story that is all original Amy Tan—and that is refreshing.
Recommendation: I don’t know if $3.00 is a reasonable price for a less than thirty-six page short story, but I’ll still recommend ‘Rules for Virgins’ as an entertaining, very quick, read. And, where ‘Saving Fish from Drowning’ had me swearing off Miss Tan’s writing forever, ‘Rules for Virgins’ has me looking forward in happy anticipation to reading her forthcoming novel, ‘The Valley of Amazement’.
“You must be attentive to filling the half-empty cup.”—page 6
A Barnes and Noble NOOKbook, 36 pages
“…you must know all the arts of enticement and master the balance of anticipation and reticence.”—page 5
Reading a bit like a big bag of fortune cookies, the message of Amy Tan’s latest, Byliner Publication (Great writers. Great stories. Readable in a single sitting.), ‘Rules for Virgins,’ seems to be that performance art will always be improved by good management, good training, and attention to detail. There is, however, a subtle, lyrical and gentle, tongue-in-cheek quality to this short story that is all original Amy Tan—and that is refreshing.
Recommendation: I don’t know if $3.00 is a reasonable price for a less than thirty-six page short story, but I’ll still recommend ‘Rules for Virgins’ as an entertaining, very quick, read. And, where ‘Saving Fish from Drowning’ had me swearing off Miss Tan’s writing forever, ‘Rules for Virgins’ has me looking forward in happy anticipation to reading her forthcoming novel, ‘The Valley of Amazement’.
“You must be attentive to filling the half-empty cup.”—page 6
A Barnes and Noble NOOKbook, 36 pages
December 16, 2011
When i first started reading this i was doubtful i'd like it. but i changed my mind fast. it was fun, interesting, and...odd? i'm not sure how to describe it. i learned a new word i should be ashamed to type here so i'll just say it kind of sounds like pendulum but doesn't mean anything like pendulum. if you want to know what i'm talking about, you'll just have to read this. haha.
also, i think i saw somewhere that this story is either part of or the foundation or something of a novel. i hope that is true and that i didn't dream it/make it up. i can definitely see how it could work that way and i am actually looking forward to finding out what happens with Violet (i hope she doesn't get burned with the potions of other jealous courtesans! or hang from a chandelier and break her arm! or god forbid turn into a common streetwalker!). This was very different from either The Kitchen God's Wife or The Joy Luck Club, which at first felt strange, but like i said above, i really liked it.
also, i think i saw somewhere that this story is either part of or the foundation or something of a novel. i hope that is true and that i didn't dream it/make it up. i can definitely see how it could work that way and i am actually looking forward to finding out what happens with Violet (i hope she doesn't get burned with the potions of other jealous courtesans! or hang from a chandelier and break her arm! or god forbid turn into a common streetwalker!). This was very different from either The Kitchen God's Wife or The Joy Luck Club, which at first felt strange, but like i said above, i really liked it.
December 26, 2011
Goodness, these are an awful lot of rules. I pity the poor girl who has to memorize them (and all of those songs!). The whole thing does seem rather daunting. That being said, this seems a little unusual given what I'm used to from Amy Tan. It's a bit more explicit than what I've come to expect from her.
But the best thing I can say about this is that it whet my appetite. I'm relieved to find out that it's an excerpt from a forthcoming novel because I'd quite like to learn about the wider narrative that it comes from. I particularly enjoyed the very last line. Magic Gourd is often amusing in her plain-spokenness, although I'm more intrigued about her story, especially after the few cryptic hints she includes about her past as a courtesan. It's interesting to think that there were tabloids back then or something akin to them. I wonder if that's true.
I once saw a movie about courtesans in Shanghai. It wasn't a very interesting movie but I'd certainly like to see where Amy Tan plans to take this story. I hope that in the actual novel, we get to learn more about both Magic Gourd and Violet, especially about Violet's relationship with her mother. 3.5.
But the best thing I can say about this is that it whet my appetite. I'm relieved to find out that it's an excerpt from a forthcoming novel because I'd quite like to learn about the wider narrative that it comes from. I particularly enjoyed the very last line. Magic Gourd is often amusing in her plain-spokenness, although I'm more intrigued about her story, especially after the few cryptic hints she includes about her past as a courtesan. It's interesting to think that there were tabloids back then or something akin to them. I wonder if that's true.
I once saw a movie about courtesans in Shanghai. It wasn't a very interesting movie but I'd certainly like to see where Amy Tan plans to take this story. I hope that in the actual novel, we get to learn more about both Magic Gourd and Violet, especially about Violet's relationship with her mother. 3.5.
April 12, 2016
This is an eye-opening novella about the literal rules for virgins in 1912 Shanghai. I didn't know what to expect when I first bought this ebook well over a year ago, however, I was pleasantly surprised.
I would definitely not recommend this novella for all ages, but maybe rated R audiences. It has moments of an extremely detailed sexual nature, and although I am an adult myself, I was a bit taken aback by how brazen and descriptive this was.
As novellas go, this was a relatively quick read that I finished between 2 sittings. It is told from the first person point of view from a well-traveled concubine to her predecessor, a younger girl who has not yet been introduced into the society yet. I would liken this to "Memoirs of a Geisha" in that way, however, it is far more detailed and at times a little too dirty!
I would re-read this novella again because it is short and precise, however I was not over the moon about it in some ways. I wish it had been longer and more than simply a dictation of the dos-and-donts of the world. If this were to be drawn out into a full novel, I would be extremely excited and impressed.
I would definitely not recommend this novella for all ages, but maybe rated R audiences. It has moments of an extremely detailed sexual nature, and although I am an adult myself, I was a bit taken aback by how brazen and descriptive this was.
As novellas go, this was a relatively quick read that I finished between 2 sittings. It is told from the first person point of view from a well-traveled concubine to her predecessor, a younger girl who has not yet been introduced into the society yet. I would liken this to "Memoirs of a Geisha" in that way, however, it is far more detailed and at times a little too dirty!
I would re-read this novella again because it is short and precise, however I was not over the moon about it in some ways. I wish it had been longer and more than simply a dictation of the dos-and-donts of the world. If this were to be drawn out into a full novel, I would be extremely excited and impressed.
October 13, 2012
a monolog delivered from an older shanghai courtesan to a younger one. no so much a narrative as the outline of one, rich with research of the culture and history of the early 1900s. again, there is no plot, but one senses the great, seductive novel that shines behind this monologue (and perhaps may one day see light?) however, in it's present incarnation, 'rules,' boiled down to its essence, is well-written, soft-core, historical porn.
meaning, that yes, if your still reading this review, you would most likely enjoy it.
meaning, that yes, if your still reading this review, you would most likely enjoy it.
November 9, 2012
Yuuuuuck. Did Amy Tan just wake up one morning and decide she wanted to write this? Did she get bored? It's basically instructions to a new courtesan. Like reading Memoirs of a Geisha, but set in China and possibly more explicit. Meh. I probably would have given up on it but I think I paid 2 or 3 bucks for this story.
***edited to add***
Ok, this makes more sense now that I know it's an excerpt from a forthcoming novel. It still seems like an odd bit to just yank out as a short story (pretty explicit) but I'm glad to know that Violet and Magic Gourd have some actual PLOT coming.
***edited to add***
Ok, this makes more sense now that I know it's an excerpt from a forthcoming novel. It still seems like an odd bit to just yank out as a short story (pretty explicit) but I'm glad to know that Violet and Magic Gourd have some actual PLOT coming.
June 16, 2017
I have to admit that this one was quite surprising! I know the title says “Rules for Virgins” but I definitely didn’t expect it to be this list of rules. However, it doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it! I love Amy Tan’s writing and I love to learn more about foreign cultures and traditions (especially Eastern) and this was, well, educational! And also quite graphic so I would not recommend it to younger readers.
October 29, 2014
I enjoyed this story. I thought it was well-written and I liked the narrator's dry sense of humor. The characters could be more developed, but I feel that as short story/excerpt it works.
July 3, 2019
Vivid, fascinating, and a seductive course in the ways of a concubine, Amy Tan's "Rules for Virgins..." was an audio book that made my cheeks blush, my mind intrigued, and my inner historian who seeks out the hidden gems of time, captured.
One of my mother's favorite authors, but not a book she is familiar with, I think even a daughter can recommend the book to a parent...with tact, maturity, and consideration of course.
It was a timely book to consume, considering I am also reading one on the last madam of the city of New Orleans around the same time period (and 1,000s of miles away). Both stories have similarities, but their unique differences are enticing.
It might not be the first of Tan's books to begin with, but her connection to her grandmother and her possible life as an escort, it is a personal one that she takes pride in as a woman, and as a granddaughter.
One of my mother's favorite authors, but not a book she is familiar with, I think even a daughter can recommend the book to a parent...with tact, maturity, and consideration of course.
It was a timely book to consume, considering I am also reading one on the last madam of the city of New Orleans around the same time period (and 1,000s of miles away). Both stories have similarities, but their unique differences are enticing.
It might not be the first of Tan's books to begin with, but her connection to her grandmother and her possible life as an escort, it is a personal one that she takes pride in as a woman, and as a granddaughter.
May 14, 2014
I love Amy Tan books and this one is an exception. Started with it bravely, discounting the title, and halfway through realised that titles do matter. The whole book is an advice to an aspiring concubine regarding the rules to survive and excel in her trade. It is not sensationally vulgar, but offended my proprietary senses by considering women as second class citizens. I know it was the norm in olden days, especially in Asia, still I felt outraged and gave up on the book as a form of silent protest.
January 21, 2018
It was grossly graphic and a waste of time. I have enjoyed most of Amy Tan’s books, so I expected to like this one. It’s a good thing that I had the audio and that I had no other audio for my car (and that I was alone in my car!)Thankfully, it was a novella and only two discs. What a disappointment!
January 15, 2012
i ordered this book on my nook. quite pricey for a short story. interesting but not nearly engrossing as Tan's other works. Written entirely as the advisor giving instructions to a courtesan to be. I kept waiting for the book to start but it never did. I love Tan but this was a big disappointment.
March 13, 2012
Rules for Virgins is a vignette written from the point of view of an assistant giving advice to the 17-year-old Violet about her newly acquired role of courtesan in Shanghai circa 1912. I gave it four stars because it is tightly written. Once again, Amy Tan shows us that she is a great wordsmith.
October 25, 2012
Only good thing about this very short partial story was that it was short. I love Amy Tan's writing and was excited to find this. But basically you only need to read if you don't know how to be a highly paid whore in China and have some need or desire for that knowledge.
May 28, 2015
This was interesting in more than one way. I need to read Valley of Amazement, stat.
September 30, 2016
It was very interesting. It had many aspects of Dictionary of Mutual Understanding (had to have help remembering the exact title). I liked this book.
December 9, 2024
Rules for Virgins: "How to become a popular Courtesan while avoiding Cheapskates, False Love and Suicide." (Since there still seems to be confusion about what this Kindle Single is, I'm editing: this is a 40 page 'novella', very short. It is a list of "rules" that courtesans followed in Shaghai, told in a very entertaining and witty manner. There is no back story, no character development per se. It is what it is. This is Amy Tan producing a very short, but brilliant, literary work. It is NOT a novel)
I have a special shelf set aside for my Amy Tan Collection - first editions, autographed copies, special bound editions - and I have a special place already reserved for 'The Valley of Amazement', to be released next year. This short novella in digital format is a delicious appetizer for her soon-to-be published next novel. It certainly does not disappoint. The prose is elegant without being frilly; matter-of-fact without ever being dull. Witty and wise, one always learns while laughing with Amy Tan. These "rules" were taught to young courtesans in old Shanghai, yet they might as easily be applicable to the intricasies of relationships between men and women today.
"..a grown man may have nostalgia for his ideal self. You must cultivate his sentimentality for moral glory and help him treasure his myth of who he was. And when you do, he will not be able to let you go. When you touch a man's nostalgia, he is yours."
There is the chapter on "Patrons and Cheapskates", which includes advice on "working toward the Four Necessities: Jewelry, furniture, a stipend and retirement." Where she says, in her no-nonsense style: "Forget about Love. You can't eat it, even if it leads to marriage."
In the six year wait, I've re-read "Saving Fish from Drowning", "Bonesetter's Daughter" and "The Kitchen God's Wife." I am grateful for this delicious morsel of an appetizer in the form of "Rules for Virgins", and will be delighting in its wisdom for many moons to come. Thank you, Ms. Tan, for another work of art in words. I only regret I cannot obtain this in hardback, with beautiful cover art, to place on my bookshelf !
I have a special shelf set aside for my Amy Tan Collection - first editions, autographed copies, special bound editions - and I have a special place already reserved for 'The Valley of Amazement', to be released next year. This short novella in digital format is a delicious appetizer for her soon-to-be published next novel. It certainly does not disappoint. The prose is elegant without being frilly; matter-of-fact without ever being dull. Witty and wise, one always learns while laughing with Amy Tan. These "rules" were taught to young courtesans in old Shanghai, yet they might as easily be applicable to the intricasies of relationships between men and women today.
"..a grown man may have nostalgia for his ideal self. You must cultivate his sentimentality for moral glory and help him treasure his myth of who he was. And when you do, he will not be able to let you go. When you touch a man's nostalgia, he is yours."
There is the chapter on "Patrons and Cheapskates", which includes advice on "working toward the Four Necessities: Jewelry, furniture, a stipend and retirement." Where she says, in her no-nonsense style: "Forget about Love. You can't eat it, even if it leads to marriage."
In the six year wait, I've re-read "Saving Fish from Drowning", "Bonesetter's Daughter" and "The Kitchen God's Wife." I am grateful for this delicious morsel of an appetizer in the form of "Rules for Virgins", and will be delighting in its wisdom for many moons to come. Thank you, Ms. Tan, for another work of art in words. I only regret I cannot obtain this in hardback, with beautiful cover art, to place on my bookshelf !
October 24, 2017
Quick & unedited review (hope it makes sense!) ... I love historical fiction & this novella explores a niche I’ve not yet read about in this kind of detail. Tan handles the explicit sexual content with some humor and it’s the briefness is the format feels fitting - almost like the virgin sneaking a peek but not looking for too long. It’s fascinating to reflect on this lifestyle having been a social status quo compared to the society’s current view of sex & morality. In the current world of slut shaming, it’s also interesting to think about the rising movement to empower and remove the stigma of sex workers today in contrast to a time when many some women used sex work to obtain financial independence (in a society & time where women had even fewer rights and perceived value). Without getting to heavy, she reminds the reader of the hazards of the work and the social constructs that made this work the only viable option for some (young) women and girls. The personal history that motivated Tan to research and write this story is also interesting. I appreciate her imagination in making the general historical events come alive with these two particular main characters. Both light & weighty at once; I’m between 3-4 stars on this one.
January 17, 2025
This isn’t a “book”. It’s maybe, umm , a pamphlet at best. Ms. Tan states in the prologue she did years of voluminous research for this. For a SUPER short story? Was she drunk? If her grandmother was indeed a hooker, great. I don’t see how this emboldens the memory of her ancestor, but it’s horrible regardless. There’s plenty of Chinese Erotica Websites to visit instead of reading this book. I feel robbed, literally. At gunpoint. $16 for 12 “chapters” spoken from Mistress Gourd? I’d rather she be a Magic Pumpkin and Charlie Brown can give me my money back. Even Linus would do. This from the writer who brought us “Joy Luck Club”? Seriously? I’m starting to think Ms Tan has figured out that writing CAN be a racket. Just like a casino or a Ponzi Scheme. I’m ALSO starting to wonder if Joy Luck was ghost written and she had it published in her name because there is no way on earth the two were written by the same person. Impossible. Do not waste your valuable time, money and brain cells in this drivel.
Slainté
Slainté
April 4, 2020
This is a short read, mostly a teaser for Amy Tan's book The Valley of Amazement. In this Violet, a young girl who finds herself in a house of courtesan. In this narrative, an older courtesan, Magic gourd is instructing Violet about what to expect in life as a courtesan, what should she do, not do, the skills she must, how she must manipulate and not get conned or ruined by negligence or puppy love. Magic gourds draws upon her own experiences and failures to both warn and motivate Violet. It reminded me of Memoirs of Geisha. However, the narrative is essentially a monotonous rant that feels for most part instructive and insipid. A total skip unless you have free time and wish to read up Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan later.
July 23, 2021
I've only read one other Amy Tan book, The Kitchen God's Wife, & I liked that. This is a short novella & is interesting as a peek into the ancient culture of the courtesan. It is written as an older courtesan who is now an attendant to a young virgin & is responsible for explaining & teaching her the rules for her to be successful. There is advice on knowing who the serious patrons are & avoiding cheapskates & con men & poor men masquerading as rich ones, on how to please a patron & make him feel virile & powerful so he wants to present many gifts. There are fashion tips, how to get the best jewelry offered, how to deal with the many situations that may arise, how to have happy accidents that provide the best advantages, how to prepare the boudoir & oneself. Quite explicit & informative.
April 1, 2018
I really enjoyed the flowing narrative, gentle in description yet full blooded in content and meaning. The advice given to Violet could work in other walks of life. You don't know at what point the advice will end or which direction it's going, which adds to its mystery. I'm not familiar to the Far-eastern courtesan genre. I can see why the culture and customs are so interesting to readers in the West, as well as other different cultures.
I would have given it 5 stars, but it gets a little repetitive. It's only 100 pages or so, which is perfect. Any longer and the narrative might have become irritating. On the whole, I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Amy Tan
I would have given it 5 stars, but it gets a little repetitive. It's only 100 pages or so, which is perfect. Any longer and the narrative might have become irritating. On the whole, I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of Amy Tan
June 27, 2017
Short and sweet, full of lovely and tragic truths and tips. Rules for Virgins is something that you can easily read and something that is narrated in a not-so-heavy tone but is in fact, very tragic. This is pain romanticized and printed. A woman's defloration told in powerful and flowery words that seemingly hides the true pain in the act. The only reason why I didn't give five stars is that there didn't seem to be a story. I was expecting that there will be a plot, along with the tips entwined in the pages. Overall, I still liked it and it didn't take too much effort to read and finish.
December 20, 2020
I listened to the audio version. As a short story it is okay... Not great. It has a distinctly unfinished feeling. Only an author of Amt Tan's repute can get away with it. Tan tries to give the reader more with a long preface about her personal engagement with the background and setting of the story. Meh.
The reader sounded like she was reciting an encyclopedia. Utterly devoid of emotion. Was that intentional or simply without talent? In any case, a talented actress could have made so much more of it. C minus effort for writing and execution.
The reader sounded like she was reciting an encyclopedia. Utterly devoid of emotion. Was that intentional or simply without talent? In any case, a talented actress could have made so much more of it. C minus effort for writing and execution.
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