"The Joy Luck Club" is a novel by Amy Tan that explores the relationships between four Chinese-American women and their immigrant mothers. The story is structured around their gatherings, where they play mahjong and share stories, revealing cultural differences and generational conflicts. The narrative alternates between the mothers' past experiences in China and the daughters' lives in America. Themes of identity, heritage, and the complexities of mother-daughter relationships are central to the book, highlighting how cultural expectations shape their lives and choices.