The Hundred Secret Senses

Book review by Joel
I’ve read two of Amy’s books so far and must say she is a great writer. Her ability with words, character development, and plot pacing make her stories a joy to read. This book is no exception. What I really like about it is the compassion she lends to her characters. Olivia grew up in San Francisco and found out when her dad died that she had a half-sister in China, Kwan. Kwan moves in with the family and immediately falls in love with Olivia and tries to learn English and to fit in. Unfortunately, to Olivia’s dismay Kwan’s English never gets above a sort of pidgin version and she is overly happy no matter the situation. She also has “yin” eyes, which means she can see into the yin world where ghosts live. When Olivia tells on her for seeing ghosts, Kwan is sent to a sanitarium and given shock treatments to “cure” her. This is a great source of guilt for Olivia.

The “yin” world provides the other half of the narrative and tension in the book. These are the ghosts that Kwan sees, and their story ties into the modern day narrative seamlessly. Past and present are woven together and bring the whole work into a new perspective.

Kwan’s character is a little irritating at first because of the language barrier but by the end of the second chapter as seen from Olivia’s point of view and also from the beginnings of the “yin” ghost story she steals the book.

I recommend this book and am looking forward to getting another Amy Tan title soon.

Joel.