Rating: 
Summary: The Hundred Secret Senses is magical realism
Review: This book can be seen on the one hand as a reworking of Tan's familiar Chinese in America dislocation story where reconciliation happens between mothers and daughters through sharing of stories and memories. HoweverÒThe Hundred Secret SensesÓ is not exactly another mother-daughter theme, but a shifti to the sisterhood motif. It deals with cultural dislocation between China and America in the wonderfully-drawn character of Kwan and her past life during the fascinating and brutal time of the TÕai PÕing rebellion in the 1850Õs in China. One of the strengths of this book is the description of southern China and the emergence of the Heavenly King, who, with his God worshippers and foreign mercenaries, warred for more than a decade against the entire Manchu Dynasty. In ÒThe Hundred Secret Senses,Ó Amy Tan tries her hand at magical realism, a type of story where two world views meet, the pragmatic, and the mystical. I was reminded of ÒMutant Message from Down Under,Ó ÒThe Celestine ProphecyÓ and the Don Juan series of books written by Carlos Casteneda. In each of these stories, there is a teacher who by patience and long and hard work passes on knowledge of a separate reality, a world which is not knit together by consensus reality. Consensus reality is when you are walking on a steep mountain ledge and lose your footing, what will happen? You will fall because everyone believes that will happen. In the separate reality, you will not necessarily fall. Just as in the separate reality of Kwan, Libby-ah is a reincarnation of Miss Nelly Banner and Simon was Liban. Our left-brained logic doesnÕt work. Each magical realism story has a student who embarks upon a journey. The teacher appears and by means of a series of experiences brings the disbelieving and recalcitrant student to an acceptance of the mystical, the shamanic or the dream world. It is thus a spiritual journey in which the student comes to accept another reality beyond the reaches on the linear mind. In the Don Juan series, the teacher is Yaqui shaman, Juan Matus who, through at first psychodelics, and later acts of courage in the face of fear, teaches Carlos how to become a man of knowledge and how "to see."(Compare to Yin eyes of Kwan,) Paradoxically, Don Juan makes Carlos practice ÒseeingÓ by unfocusing his eyes on long walks. In ÒMutant Message from Down Under,Ó the teacher is the aboriginal tribe that the woman goes wandering off with and in ÒCelestine ProphecyÓ the teacher is actually a series of writings which various people set out to find and codify. The Amy Tan story is great. I loved Kwan in all her quirkiness and she taught me that although the Chinese culture seems to be hieratic, it is based in great respect of others and loyalty, unto death, which is something I feel our culture knows little. I think when Amy Tan is using the clipped Chinese-American dialect she is superb. It is when she slips into the almost valley-girl Californese of Liby-ah and the mysterious voice that flowingly describes the dream world of the 1850Õs that Tan loses control of the story and I found myself wondering who was talking. Or I felt the dialog quite boring. I also felt that not one man in her story came alive, except the one from the 1850Õs who couldnÕt quit cursing, Lao Lu. Not her father, nor Simon, nor Liban, not even the cruel and despicable Captain Cape has a character worth remembering.
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Summary: My review for the 100 secert senses...
Review: I read The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan during my winter vacation. I chose to read this book because my friends told me that Amy Tan is a great writer, and I'm really interested in the topic, which is about Chinese Americans and the issues between sisters.
The story begins when Olivia's father dies; she is told that she has a half sister in China, Kwan, who then comes to join her family soon after their father's death. When they are all little, Olivia doesn't like Kwan at all, she thinks that Kwan only brings her trouble and embarrassment because of her poor English. When Kwan admits that she has a special ability that she is able to interact with the dead people she sees around the world, Olivia tells her mother about the yin stories Kwan has been telling her, which causes her mother to send Kwan to the psychiatric ward for years. However, after all those shock treatments in the psychiatric ward, Kwan still appreciates her sister, and has always been taking care of her like a mother more than the real one. After more than thirty years, time has changed Olivia's attitude towards Kwan, she finally realizes that Kwan and her share a love that is not only inseparable, it is also limitless and endless.
I can relate myself to the story utterly because I have a sister too. I am annoyed with my sister sometimes, but I always find it nice to have someone that you can talk to as a close friend who is actually closer to you more than any of your best friends. As we grow up, we come to realize that we can experience everything with something better than the five senses ¡X¡X our hearts. With our hearts, we not only feel the connections between us as sisters; we also "feel" the world and the people around us. I think the book is trying to tell us that love is everything, it can be both happiness and sadness, anger and forgiveness, it all depends on how we learn to be grateful to everything that's been given to us.
Rating: 
Summary: An Amazing Discovery
Review: A truly magical book, it will open your mind as well as your heart.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as "The Kitchen God's Wife," but worth reading
Review: If you've enjoyed any of Amy Tan's previous books, then you shouldn't be disappointed. In "The Hundred Secret Senses," you'll find Tan's consistently running themes of mother-daughter relationships, the American vs. the Chinese perspective, and parallel storylines. In this case, the story focuses on the relationship between Olivia and her older sister Kwan, who acts as Olivia's surrogate mother. All her life, Olivia wanted her mother to pay more attention to her. One day, young Olivia discovers that she has a half sister in China, whom the family has decided to adopt. When Kwan joins the family in America, Olivia's mother gladly hands all mothering duties to Kwan, and Olivia's hopes of gaining her mother's affections are dashed. She is immediately resentful of her big sister, and this attitude continues on into adulthood. However, despite Olivia's often ungrateful attitude, Kwan showers Olivia with unconditional love. Kwan is a unique character to say the least. She claims to be able to see ghosts, and she can remember her past lives. This is where the secondary storyline comes in. Kwan tells the story of her past life, a century ago, when she was a poor girl from the mountains of China who befriended a young American woman named Ms. Banner. As we learn more about Kwan's life with Ms. Banner, we learn about the present day conflicts of Olivia and her troubled marriage. The two storylines weave together to work toward a big reveal, similar to "The Kitchen God's Wife." However, in this case, the reveal is really not that surprising since the book foreshadows it so much. Also, The first third part of the book is a frustratingly slow read because Kwan's "past life" chapters introduce information and characters in no particular order. My advice: reread the first couple of chapters of Kwan's story until you know the characters and their roles. Olivia's chapters will read quickly. My third criticism is that the protagonist, Olivia, is not very likable. This is probably mostly owing to her mistreatment of Kwan, who is absolutely lovable. Despite these criticisms, the book still moved me to tears. Amy Tan has a wonderful narrative style, and Kwan is one of the most endearing characters I have ever read.
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Summary: Hundred Secret Senses Has A Hundred Secret Surprises
Review: Amy Tan, who has written many books including the Joy Luck Club, and the childrens book, The Chinese Cat, has once again expressed her story through a Chinese persons eyes. The Hundred Secret Senses is a delightful book full of ides religion, love, death, and lessons in life. Olivia, the main character and narrator of this tale, begins by telling about the arrival of her half sister Kwan, from China. Kwan is nearly 18 when she comes to the US. She is unable to communicate in English and knows nothing of the American lifestyle. Olivia, her only companion, albeit unwillingly, is soon filled with Chiness folklore, the Chinese language, and ghosts. Yes, Kwan has Yin eyes, or in other words, the ability to see the deceased that have traveled to the Yin World. Even though the whole ghost thing may be a recurring theme, Tan has an interesting way of adding her own twist. The plot switches back and forth from Olivia, Simon (Olivia's husband), and Kwan, to Kwans growing experiences in her past life, which she can remember. Each time the section ends at a high point, causing you to want to read on, but unlike some novels who use this stratagy to pull you through boring parts, this book is always exiting, thus letting you enjoy every bit of the book. The style of writing Amy Tan uses is very intriguing and catchy from the start. You keep reading and reading just to find out what happens next. The storyline is so amazing and different that everyone must read it. The feeling you get when you finish this book is a sense of hope. In a way, the story leaves hanging, and you have to decide for yourself what really happened.
Rating: 
Summary: Write by Number?
Review: First off, I'd like to assert that Amy Tan is an incredibly successful writer, whose books sell in the millions, and NOBODY can take that away from her. On the enjoyment count, this book (like almost all of Tan's) gets 5 stars, no questions asked. Tan's prose is alternately beautiful and heart rending - even though she is a "popular" writer, the woman CAN turn a good phrase. That said, Tan's novels are SOOOO formulaic, I can't help but be reminded of paint-by-number. The plot runs something like this: Chinese American woman is in conflict with her Chinese roots/heritage/culture, and she is usually brought to this awareness by her still VERY Chinese mother (or in this case, a half sister does the trick). This conflict usually leads to relationship problems with her American partner. Along the way, our protagonist is plunged headon into Chinese folklore and legend, eventually culminating in her confrontation with and acceptance of her Chinese-ness (if you can excuse the made-up word). In order for this to happen, the Chinese American sometimes has to visit mainland China, but in other cases, the deal goes through with an oral or written memoir (detailing life in pre-WW2 China, and her relative's escape from it) of some sort.
Amy Tan has found a formula that works, and I say good for her. So? If you want a book you cannot put down, read Amy Tan. But maybe just the once....
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Book Ever
Review: I just love this book. Amy Tan is a genius because she has the ability to write about people and the situations they experience in such a real, candid, and yet witty way. This is the type of book that once you start reading, you cannot put down until finished. The ending made me cry, but also feel hopeful about life, death, and love.
Rating:
Summary: Very Good
Review: I read this book a few years ago now. I actually picked it up as a "Rock Bottom Remainder" at the local supermarket. I had already read Joy Luck Club. Once I started reading, I enjoyed The Hundred Secret Senses, and had such a difficult time putting it down, that I returned to the supermarket the next day to buy the remaining five copies, which I gave to friends. I normally read Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Steinbeck, etc. (aka Dead White Men). So, in an effort to expose myself to both contemporary fiction and fiction from a woman's voice, I first read Joy Luck Club. I am currently reading The Bonesetter's Daughter. I am just about halfway through and enjoying it very much. I am especially impressed with Tan's ability to take me from the Present Tense to Flashbacks. I often don't even realize that I've read several pages of flashback until she brings me smoothly back to the present. Reading Tan's books, for me, is a free trip through space & time, seeing other cultures, other times. As I said, I read this book a long time ago, so I cannot relate any specifics with authority.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing....
Review: Amy Tan's "The Joy Luck Club" and "The Kitchen God's Wife" are two wonderful, wonderful novels -- I stayed up late into the night reading both of them, and crying plenty. "Senses" is nothing like those two. As I said in my title, it's disappointing. I'm currently half-way through Tan's fourth novel, "The Bonesetter's Daughter." Much better than "Senses," but still not as sublime as those first two books by Tan.
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Summary: Beyond the Five Sense
Review: The world is full of many superstitions. Some people believe that breaking a mirror leads to seven years of bad luck. If a black cat crosses your path, then you'll have bad luck. Putting a hat on the bed can bring bad luck. And oh yea, standing chopsticks in a rice bowl is a sign of death. Of course, I don't believe any of these things, as they have no sound basis for belief. Yet, many people hold these things to be true, for whatever reason. One of the most widespread beliefs that people have is that the spirits of the dead survive in a spirit world. Not only do they reside there, but they can also take trips to our world, the world of the living. Different lands have different concepts of this idea. Isn't it odd though, that only some people get to see these ghosts?
Amy Tan's book, The Hundred Secret Senses, is a tale about the living, the dead, and the connections they share. The main character is a woman named Olivia. When she is nearly four years old, her life takes a turn; she loses one family member, but learns that she has another that lives across the world. Well, sort of. She learns that her father had a daughter before he married her mother, and that she lives in China. Two years later, her half-sister, Kwan, arrives in America and begins to live with her. Olivia doesn't quite like that idea. Why? "I would have preferred a new turtle or even a doll, not someone who would compete for my mother's already divided attention and force me to share the meager souvenirs of her love," she says. Yet, she eventually realizes that her fear was unnecessary, as she and Kwan are the ones that become close, almost like mother and daughter. They become so intimate that Kwan decides to tell Olivia a secret: she can see dead people, because she has "yin eyes."
As the story develops, it becomes evident that the relationships between Olivia and Kwan and Kwan and her ghost friends from the World of Yin are central to the story. The narrative is actually split; Olivia narrates the primary portion, talking about her problems, be they with her mother, her half-sister, or her husband. When her sister first came to live with them, Olivia didn't like her, because she was the source of much humiliation. "Kwan asked so many dumb questions...She'd say: 'What M&M?' 'What ching gum?'" In addition to this, Kwan constantly talks on into the night about the dead people she sees, of whom Olivia doesn't believe in. She grows to have feelings of resentment toward Kwan. However, she too does Kwan harm, but Kwan seems to always be merciful, and never takes count of the injury. Whatever her problem, Olivia usually ends up going to Kwan (be it intentionally or not), who in turn ends up telling her a story. This leads into the parts where Kwan becomes the narrator. She takes us into the year 1864, telling the story of a girl who later took on the name Nunumu after an accident. Kwan's claim on how she knows this girl is quite interesting, as they were as close as can be. The accounts that she gives us are very adventurous, interesting, and (unlike her broken English) grammatically sound. This may be because she actually tells these stories in Chinese, but Olivia translates them for us.
I think that Amy Tan did an excellent job writing this story. The main characters are very well developed. Each of their personalities is shown vividly and their motives in acting the way they do are clear. There are some characters that I would have liked to know more about, like Olivia's brothers and their families, who all but fade out of the picture by the end. Tan uses a very extensive vocabulary, as I found myself taking note of unfamiliar words almost constantly. I'm sure that after reading this story, many readers will have learned a few Chinese words as well. She also used some specific four-letter words a few times, which I thought were unnecessary, because the depth of the characters' emotions could have been displayed without them. If I could sum up the entire story in four words it would be easy: guilt, forgiveness, loyalty, and ghosts. Don't worry; this is not a horror book. It is a book that people with different types of taste will like, largely due to its two narrative format. I personally like the misadventures of Nunumu much more than the mundane dealings of Olivia. Some people may feel otherwise. Yet, near the end it is evident that one part cannot be appreciated without the other, for they both begin to relate to one another.
Where do these women's stories cross paths? Will Olivia be loyal to Kwan, as she has been nothing but loyal to her? What are "the hundred secret senses"? And will Olivia ever begin to accept Kwan's Chinese superstitions? Will she ever get to see the ghosts for herself? Or, are these "yin people" even real? Why can only Kwan see yin people? For the answers to these questions, read The Hundred Secret Senses.
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