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Summary: Hundred Secret Senses: A story with true Chinese meaning
Review: The Hundred Secret Senses, by Amy Tan, is ispiring and wonderful all in one. As a reader and fan of what we call "foreign literature," we know that Amy Tan is Chinese, and writes from her experiences as a Chinese girl in a traditional Chinese family growing up in the Americian society. Her tone in her writing makes you understand that she has experienced some of these things first hand. Tan's story catches the eeriness and excitement caused by Chinese superstition. Something I too have delt with in a traditional Chinese family. Tan's story picks up with a young girl in a modern, somewhat Chinese, family. Her long lost sister has just come to live with her straight out from the depths of China. Olivia struggles to live with her "all-asian" sister, and finds it tougher than the usual. Kwan not only brings her belongings and her suitcase from China, but stories and memories, from this lifetime, and her last. As the book begins to gain speed, you find the plot being split into two different stories, one with Ms. Banner and Nunumu, and the other about Olivia and Kwan. But just when the story begins to come to an end, Tan takes all the strings from these two stories and ties them together, to make an even more meaningful finish. It's a wonderful book with brilliance and passion. For some it could be a tear-jerker, but it is a book that will most likely strike a chord. By far one of Tan's better pieces of work.
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Summary: Engrossing and powerful
Review: Amy Tan's unique storytelling ability draws us into her vivid, sense-assulting world. I found this book difficult to get through in the beginning, but its shattering conclusion made me immediately want to read the whole thing over again. This is one of the most powerful books I've ever read. Tan explores the issue of reincarnation, while taking the reader on an exotic Chinese journey. Besides being thought-provoking and haunting, "100 Secret Senses" is also hysterically funny at points. I disagree with Amazon's classification of the book as a "Young Adult" novel. To me, it was too sexually explicit and wordy for most teens. I recommend reading this book if you are looking for a story that will paint vivid, lasting images in your mind, and leave you wistful for more.
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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....
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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.
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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.
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Summary: An Amazing Discovery
Review: A truly magical book, it will open your mind as well as your heart.
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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.
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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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