Rating: 
Summary: As beautiful as a gem
Review: The Hundred Secret Senses is absolutely a fabulous novel that delves into the relationship between 2 Chinese sisters that have completely different thoughts,different origins,different
mothers and these concepts agitate our minds relentlessly.
It tells us stories that we couldn't possibly imagine - surreal village tales,ghosts stories,etc.All other novels of hers are about mothers and daughters but this one proves that Amy Tan
has galvanized her skill of writing,her fine senses and she delivers the freshest materials.
Tan will make you feel alert when you find the word "hundred" ,
"secret" or "sense" in the novel.It will keep you wondering of the true meaning of the hundred secret senses until the end - it's only revealed on the very last page.
This novel marks the revolution on Amy Tan as an author.Be prepared to be amazed by this pleasantly piquant novel that shines with meaning,faith and most importantly,love.
Rating:
Summary: Magic Words!
Review: Amy Tan generously spins us another modern fairy tale of sublime simplicity. She is a genious at creating characters who are surreally and richly overflowing with spirituality and mystique, and plants them in today's modern world. This book is no exception. With an upbeat and well-developed plot, this book will keep you interested until the end. But her special talent for making us look at the Chinese woman's often magical world, and compare it (for better or for worse) to our own modern world is what makes me want to read her books again and again. Thank you, Ms. Tan!!
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't I read this before?
Review: I just finished "The Bonesetter's Daughter". I thought it was fantastic. I read it in two days. I loved it. I went to get another Amy Tan book and chose this one. Seems like the same book. There is always one character who, for one contrived reason or the other, sometimes very contrived, speaks broken English (on the order of "no tickee, no shirtee"). There is always a middle-aged woman (45-50) married with no kids. We always go back in time to China and forward to the present. there is always a culture clash with the Americans.I loved all of these things in "The Bonesetter's Daughter" and would highly recommend that book, but I don't want to keep reading the same book over and over.
Rating: 
Summary: Past Lives Entwined
Review: Olivia, who is half Chinese and is being raised in San Francisco, meets her half sister Kwan when she immigrates to the U.S. after the death of their father. Until her father's death, Olivia never even knew she had a half sister. By the time they find Olivia in China and bring her to the U.S., Olivia's mother is involved in a new romance, and has little time for Olivia, who is only 6 years old. Kwan, 12 years older, becomes a surrogate mother. Kwan tells Olivia secrets and ghost stories and legends, which Olivia only pretends to believe, since she thinks Kwan is odd and maybe even a little crazy because she is soinsistent that she can talk to "yin" people (ghosts). Olivia is alternately embarrassed and dependent on her kooky, different half-sister who clings to the suspicions, habits and beliefs of her native land. Kwan is a fascinating and amusing character with her peculiar use of English, funny malapropisms and adoption of some American habits. At times, Olivia seems more neurotic and less normal than Kwan. The story alternates between the present day antics of Kwan and Olivia and the retelling of a story of one of Kwan's past lives as a servant girl in 19th century China. This alternating story line gets confusing at times and bogs down the progress of the novel. As the years pass, Olivia tolerates Kwan's sometimes unwelcome advice and intrusion into her life. They see each other frequently, and when Olivia decides to divorce her husband Simon, Kwan begs her to reconsider. Olivia and Simon agree to accept a photo-journalism assignment in China, and travel together with Kwan to visit the village of her birth. The plot gets rather jumbled with visits from ghosts, more storytelling by Kwan, and Simon and then Kwan getting lost in a cave. But the ending is startling and finally brings together all the loose ends of the plot. Hang in there until the end and you'll be glad you did.
Rating: 
Summary: Undying familial love
Review: There are two stories told in THE HUNDRED SECRET SENSES: the present day story of Olivia, a Chinese-American woman, and her older half-sister Kwan; and the story of Kwan's prior life as a young servant girl in 19th century China. Both stories are engaging, and in the end, they are bound together tightly. Olivia is thoroughly American in her beliefs and lifestyle. As such, she is embarrassed and annoyed by Kwan's refusal to be assimilated by American culture-in particular, Olivia is bothered by Kwan's insistence that she sees and speaks to ghosts, or "yin" people. Kwan also pesters Olivia to reunite with her estranged husband, Simon. Interspersed throughout the present day story are pieces of the story of Kwan's prior life as Nunumu, a one-eyed servant to a group of American missionaries. Olivia, Simon and Kwan travel to Kwan's village in China (also the village of Olivia's father). It is there that the two stories converge in a jumble of ghosts, reincarnation, and unconditional love. There is a touch of hokiness to it all, but it is still an enjoyable tale.
Rating:
Summary: Not like her other gems~
Review: I have read all Amy Tan's other books and she is really my favorite author, but I could not get into this book at all. It was almost like someone else had written it.
Rating:
Summary: Past and present lives, connected by yin eyes
Review: In The Hundred Secret Senses, the author delves into the realm of magic realism, explores the theme of reincarnation, and creates a wonderfully amicable character in Kwan. The best part of the novel is its humor--Kwan's struggle with the English language and her innocent nagging of her American-born sister Olivia. Her telling of the Christian missionaries' story and her connection to them in a past life turns out to be a focal part of the novel, but I eventually dreaded reading these sometimes boring accounts. I didn't enjoy Secret Senses as much as Tam's other novels (especially Kitchen God's Wife), but overall it was an interesting read. The author doesn't utilize magic realism quite as effectively as Garcia Marquez or Allende, but still creates a convincing spiritual connection between the generations.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating.
Review: My initial reactions after reading this book was a big "WOW!" The ending took my breath away. It was definitely worth the wait. I admit the whole book itself had some of it's down. Sometimes I thought, "Who the heck cares!" because Amy Tan did but rarely did elaborate too much on one thing which made it awfully hard to keep reading straight through. BUT, do not give up on the book because of that tiny flaw. It was truly a well-plotted, thought-out book that made me hurt, cry, and rejoice with the characters. This book was not only dramatic but it had it's moments of humor. There were a lot of moments where I laughed out loud. The character Kwan in particular was sometimes a humorous character who was not intentionally trying to be funny but was. The characters humor usually gave the book an extra rush. Reading the book itself is a good way to learn a little about Chinese customs and see the comparison between the hardships of America and China. What really made this book interesting like other Amy Tan's books were the stories within the big picture and how it all fits into a puzzle in the end. Read this book, you won't regret it. I surely didn't.
Rating:
Summary: A very good book, not her best though
Review: I am a decided fan of Amy Tan's. I read her newest book whenever it comes out and I don't come away unsatisfied. This book takes a different approach than any of her other ones. The two main characters Kwan and Olivia have a very complex relationship. Kwan is not only Olivia's sister, but also her mother. She helps Olivia win the man that she wants. She comforts her when things have gone wrong and always hopes for the best. When Olivia's life seems to fall apart, Kwan tells her the story of another life she had in China, during the 19th century. She weaves this tale and as the story goes alone the reader becomes more and more wrapped up in it. The conclusion is a bittersweet one, but one that seems fitting to so wonderful a book. This book may not be "The Joy Luck Club", but it has far more beauty and sparkle than most of the junk that's out there today.
Rating:
Summary: Haunting
Review: I can't begin to describe the realism and magic Amy Tan evokes each time she writes. Although a bit repetitive and predictable with some themes intersecting an American-Chinese culture, it is always fashioned under a varied pretext. While this book can't compare to the more masterful depth of "The Joy Luck Club", it has is own appeal, particularly in the unforgettable person of Kwan Li (and her yin/ ghost people). I must admit, you can't really enjoy the first quarter or half of this book (which mostly touches on Kwan's stories about her past life with Miss Banner and Olivia's stories about meeting Kwan and Simon and events relating to it) until you get to the last segments of the book which fully unravels its purposes. This book actually scared me a few times, and bothered me as I lie awake at night. Having grown up as a Chinese in a Western culture, I must say that this book hits home a lot; that's how well Amy Tan writes. Although I can't say much about this book without giving it away entirely, it is an amazing jigsaw puzzle that comes together perfectly as each page is turned.
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