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Summary: Culturally rich personal growth of two sisters
Review: Amy Tan has again taken us inside the mysteries of Chinese traditions and superstitions mixed with modern American life, while weaving a story of sisters spending a lifetime getting to know each other. Ms. Tan's wonderful writing skills bring us inside the characters' feelings, thinking and lives so that we, too, can see with "yin eyes." She injects us into the cultural and personal differences which separate the sisters, but which eventually join their spirits for eternity. I was thoroughly engrossed and felt as if the story were my story and the sisters' lives were my experience. Enjoyable reading which brings us to many other worlds
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Summary: Worth losing sleep for.....
Review: Amy Tan's book grabbed my attention from the moment I opened thecover. The story is so intricatly woven with numerous voices tellingpieces of an overall story. We only understand this larger story after having compiled its pieces in our minds. The reader's affection for the characters is well developed and as an american reader i felt myself identifying with Olivia as she struggled with her relationship with her sister. I read this book in a matter of days, moments smuggled between school and work and sleep.
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Summary: Tan is awesome in writing The Hundred Secret Senses!!!
Review: Okay. I though The Joy Luck Club was good. Then I thought The Kitchen God's wife was spectacular. But now, The Hundred Secret Senses is the Bomb!!! Tan's writings and ideas are most awesome, in my opinion. She only makes you wish the book would never end, or that she could write as fast as a book a week. I don't think that any kind of words can describe how powerful The Hundred Secret Senses was. I was soooooooo touched throughout the whole novel--so WOWED!!! Tan is just too awesome.
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Summary: Boundaries, magic, unconditional love, opening your heart
Review: This book is about the boundaries and limits we set for ourselves in giving and accepting love--how we deny the wonder that exists in the everyday relationships we take for granted that we have with siblings, parents, spouse, and children. It is also a rip-roaring story of the past and present intermingled, including ghosts, missionaries, and soldiers in mid-1860's China, with a modern mixed-race Chinese family searching for its own identity. This book will open your eyes to the magic of unconditional love in your own life, if you let it
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Summary: Amy Tan follows a rich cultural tradition of spirits
Review: Amy Tan walks in the footsteps of Maxine Hong Kingston when she brings superstition, ghosts and reincarnation into her story. With Kwan's yin eyes, the story opens up a very rich cultural tradition of letting the spirits live among us prevalent in many ancient cultures. Libby, like many of us, are hesitant to acknowledge the spiritual side of life, however, Tan is one of many minority writers who remind us that the spiritual world is right beyond our scope of vision. Like Kingston's Woman Warrior, Tan succeeds in telling a very Chinese story with her use of superstition, dialogue and mythology. She also addresses our need to be connected beyond life, similar to Like Water for Chocolate and Dreaming in Cuban
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Summary: Poignant and touching.
Review: This is one of those rare books where I thought really got to the roots of the Chinese culture without complicating the issue.
It brought me back to my own cultural roots offering a glimpse into an aspect of the Chinese culture, that of the spirit world, reincarnation and the bonds of a family without being overbearing. I loved this book, and you do not even need to be Chinese to understand the intricate nuances of the plot. A fantastic read, unputdownable.
Rating: 
Summary: The 100 Secret Senses
Review: This is a mystical Chinese story that tells the life of Olivia Laguni. When Olivia was a young child, her half-sister, Kwan, arrived from China to stay with her family. Because Olivia's mother was preoccupied with her own personal problems, Kwan became Olivia's substitute mother. Kwan was difficult as well as unusual to be around. She continually talked about nonsensical things especially at night since they shared a bedroom together. Kwan reported that she had "Yin" eyes and was able to speak to ghosts. Later in their lives, when Olivia had trouble with her marriage to Simon, Kwan arranged a trip to China. She reported that it would be a homecoming for all three of them since each had Chinese blood. Through unusual circumstances, Kwan arranged for Olivia and Simon to reunite spiritually as well as physically in their homeland...
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Summary: Traveling Between Two Worlds
Review: Once again, Amy Tan has managed to blow my mind. I have read "The Bonesetter's Daughter" and was deeply impressed by how well Tan can weave a multi-dimentional story..."The Hundred Secret Senses" is no different.
The main character is Olivia. She is likeable but extremely self-absorbed. Her half sister Kwan is more than just an annoyance in Olivia's life, but is the one who ultimately shows her what life is about; what's truly important.
The book deals with reincarnation and zigzags between the past life that Kwan recalls in China and her present one in the U.S. This may sound hokey to some who have not read the book but it is done in a wonderful way that makes you want to suspend disbelief as a reader and wonder "what if?"
The text is wonderfully fast moving and the dialect she uses for Kwan is absolutely amusing and touching at the same time (her poor English is absolutely adorable and you can almost hear her talking when you read the book.)
All in all, it is a coming of age story for a very late bloomer (Olivia), who up until now, has forgotten to turn around and notice the rest of the world.
If you've never read Amy Tan, you don't know what you are missing. Her ability to tell a complex story with ease is unparalleled.
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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: Ya, I liked it
Review: Hey, forget about a literary masterpiece. Forget about being believable for every minute. Forget about deep characters and motivations. Just sit back, open this book, read, and enjoy a funny, poignent, compelling story.
I don't need to summarize the plot again - it's all here on Amazon. Basically, it's a family saga spanning generations, with several twists that are different and refreshing. There's even some contemporary relationship angst thrown in for good measure. Very entertaining - and isn't that what a book is supposed to do?
I rarely give a book 5 stars. I'm a tough critic. This book is flawed, but at least when I finished it, I didn't feel like I had wasted my time. I also continued to think about the characters and parts of the book for days afterward. I definitely think it's worth the read.
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