The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Hundred Secret Senses
Book Review: Entertaining yarn about Chinese and American sisters.
Summary: 5 Stars
Amy Tan's books always explore relationships with a rare warmth and humour. Here she again tells of the meeting of an American-Chinese mindset with that of the traditional Chinese. American born Olivia is half Chinese and half a very cynical American. When she is still young, her father dies leaving behind him one last wish - that his widow will locate and raise a mysterious Chinese daughter as her own. And so we meet the deliciously eccentric character of Kwan. Kwan talks of visits from the undead people of yin with Olivia, who is totally shocked. The tale of the two sisters battling to co-exist comes to the present day, in which hilarious Kwan will talk of her husbands testicles as freely as pickled onions. The sisters are bound by a secret promise, and far more alike than Olivia dares to admit. Kwan is determined to lead Olivia back to her ex-husband, even though Olivia does not share this desire. In order to do this, Kwan persuades them to take the trip of a lifetime with her at their side, back to the homeland. China is life-changing for all three of them. Again, Amy Tan triumphs with her rare ability to make cutting observations with the most wonderful warmth, and the reader has no choice but to giggle along with the eccentricities, and then in the turn of a sentence, feel moved to tears. A truly magical book by the end, as Olivia comes to understand why Kwan has always tried so hard to love her despite many rejections over the years. A pure pleasure to read, combining the mysticism of old China with the hollow cynicism of modern America. One is left yearning for more, especially of the wonderful Kwan.Book Review: A real story-teller.
Summary: 5 Stars
The way Tan describes Kwan and her past life character Nunumu, it's stupidly hilarious. But Kwan is sweet and makes the reader soften towards her. Her Chinese traditions and cultures are just surprising and in a way, "educational" for some. Definitely for me, even though I'm Chinese! The idea of reincarnation and past life fascinate me and Tan has done a marvellous job convincing me that maybe, just maybe, I was king or queen somewhere hundreds of years ago!!! Fantastic book....I couldn't wait to finish it. Try it and see for yourself!Book Review: I couldn't stop reading it.
Summary: 5 Stars
How can you justify such a brilliant book? From the first paragraph I was hooked. The way haunting characters and stories from traditional China found their way into the hard hitting modern world is what I admire most, and, of course, the addictive way in which Kwan related whole past lives and dreams. Funny in some parts, but something in the way it was written was tragical and touching, too. Many tears had fallen on the pages before I was finished, and that wasn't long.Book Review: Fascinating story
Summary: 5 Stars
Amy Tan is certainly a wonderful storyteller and the character of Kwan is the best in the book. Unlike the Chinese-American storyteller she is full of hope and love and belief in the connections between past lives and this one. Although there is perhaps a little too much anti-Americanism in this story, she paints a wonderful tale of Kwan's colourful previous life and shows how things are connected. Perhaps the book could jump around a little less. Obviously there are many flashbacks as the tale unfolds but the story seems to jump forwards and backwards randomly within this lifetime as well. My other criticism is that the storyteller is far too cynical, knowing how she entered her relationship yet expecting it to be far more than is realistic. The best thing about Amy Tan's book though is her wonderful ability to bring out the Asian mind. From intricate family stories to accepting things you don't understand without having to actually believe them yourself. Family relationships, the complex emotions in discovering you have a sibling you never knew about and loving and hating her at the same time. Wonderful.Book Review: Brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
I thought that this book was excellent and better than The Joy Luck Club. The story between Olivia and her husband Simon is very good. In this book you get to see inside Olivia's head, and see how much she took Kwan for granted, and she didn't realise until Kwan was gone