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thehappybooker's review against another edition
Daughter highly recommended this, so I really tried. No joy, no luck, I'm not joining the club.
duriangray's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ivanbiber's review against another edition
2.0
I may have rushed through this book a bit too quickly because in the end, I just didn't understand what it was supposed to be about. Did the sister really see ghosts? Were the sisters together in a prior life in different roles? Is it just that we are all connected in some way?
dorynickel's review against another edition
2.0
I don't know man... I appreciate when an author is brave enough to make a protagonist unlikable, but not if they become completely unapproachable. I know her hatred towards Elza and Kwan specifically was supposed to be unlikable, mainly a metaphor for her insecurity and uncertainty in her own identity, but it just made Olivia so hard to root for.
I also didn't like the interactions between Olivia and Simon in general, even the supposedly positive ones. I felt like, in trying to portray their relationship as nuanced and flawed, she wove a layer of internalized misogyny so deep that I truly did not even want them to end up together. It's possible I'm not giving Tan enough credit on this one, but Simon's dismissive tendencies and his attitude toward sex seemed pretty irredeemable to me. Seems most likely to be just a generational gap between me and the author.
Basically, I both disliked Olivia and pitied her, which is not a particularly pleasant combination for a character who I think was supposed to be at least somewhat relatable. (I have a sneaking suspicion that, if I were to revisit this a few years down the line, I may feel less of a need to relate to the protagonist in order to like a book, but it really was a sticking spot for me in this one.)
I don't know exactly what to say about the plot... Overall I liked it, especially the themes of sisterhood and self-discovery, and I enjoyed the frame of the past life, but, as I mentioned before, Simon and Olivia's relationship was just not fun to witness - maybe that was the point, but, true to the millennial that I am, I sometimes don't appreciate when a woman's self-discovery is framed in terms of her romantic relationships, especially when Olivia had so many other, more-rewarding relationships throughout the book. My least favorite plot point was definitely the
I did not like parts of the ending:
However, Kwan's death worked for me; thematically, it seemed like a fitting end based on her spiritual connection and link to her past life.
I will say this, Tan is very gifted at setting a scene, employing geographical, familial, and gastronomical imagery to great effect; I always felt fully immersed in the world of the book, despite the number of distinct settings. The last act is definitely a bright spot, in many ways because of Tan's scene-setting, and I actually read most of the book in a single day. User diana called Tan's writing "fluid and engaging", which I think is a great way to put it.
Probably my favorite part of the book, and one that I didn't understand until after I had finished, was how Kwan unfolds through Olivia's eyes throughout the story. For a while, Kwan's idiosyncrasies are portrayed as part and parcel with her Chinese identity, which made me uncomfortable, because it seemed like the author had written a stereotype instead of a character. Then,
Overall, Tan is clearly talented, but the book as a whole just never quite hit the sweet spot that made me think "what a good book". Instead, it was one of those books that made me think "do I not love books as much as I think I do?" and then realize, no, I just didn't love this one.
Waffling between 2 and 2.5 stars.
My rating scale:
1- did not like
1.5- not worth it
2- decent
2.5- good
3- really good
3.5- really good, almost great
4- great
4.5- amazing
5- my favorite
I also didn't like the interactions between Olivia and Simon in general, even the supposedly positive ones. I felt like, in trying to portray their relationship as nuanced and flawed, she wove a layer of internalized misogyny so deep that I truly did not even want them to end up together. It's possible I'm not giving Tan enough credit on this one, but Simon's dismissive tendencies and his attitude toward sex seemed pretty irredeemable to me. Seems most likely to be just a generational gap between me and the author.
Basically, I both disliked Olivia and pitied her, which is not a particularly pleasant combination for a character who I think was supposed to be at least somewhat relatable. (I have a sneaking suspicion that, if I were to revisit this a few years down the line, I may feel less of a need to relate to the protagonist in order to like a book, but it really was a sticking spot for me in this one.)
I don't know exactly what to say about the plot... Overall I liked it, especially the themes of sisterhood and self-discovery, and I enjoyed the frame of the past life, but, as I mentioned before, Simon and Olivia's relationship was just not fun to witness - maybe that was the point, but, true to the millennial that I am, I sometimes don't appreciate when a woman's self-discovery is framed in terms of her romantic relationships, especially when Olivia had so many other, more-rewarding relationships throughout the book. My least favorite plot point was definitely the
Spoiler
secret-pregnancy-no-wait-he's-sterile-no-oops-he-never-was aside; it felt like a cheap misdirection and ultimately didn't add anything to the story.I did not like parts of the ending:
Spoiler
the whole book seems to be leading to Olivia's willingness to accept shades of gray, and then the author ties most of the loose ends up with a pretty little bow. After spending 350 pages learning to believe Kwan's stories, it was almost a let-down to have the physical evidence spoon-fed to me at the end.However, Kwan's death worked for me; thematically, it seemed like a fitting end based on her spiritual connection and link to her past life.
I will say this, Tan is very gifted at setting a scene, employing geographical, familial, and gastronomical imagery to great effect; I always felt fully immersed in the world of the book, despite the number of distinct settings. The last act is definitely a bright spot, in many ways because of Tan's scene-setting, and I actually read most of the book in a single day. User diana called Tan's writing "fluid and engaging", which I think is a great way to put it.
Probably my favorite part of the book, and one that I didn't understand until after I had finished, was how Kwan unfolds through Olivia's eyes throughout the story. For a while, Kwan's idiosyncrasies are portrayed as part and parcel with her Chinese identity, which made me uncomfortable, because it seemed like the author had written a stereotype instead of a character. Then,
Spoiler
when the characters travel to China, Olivia is no longer able to attribute Kwan's personality traits just to cultural differences, and she is finally able to see Kwan as a full individual instead of a metaphor for her own discomfort about her roots. This same concept can be seen in Elza and Simon's characters as well, just not as directly or fully.Overall, Tan is clearly talented, but the book as a whole just never quite hit the sweet spot that made me think "what a good book". Instead, it was one of those books that made me think "do I not love books as much as I think I do?" and then realize, no, I just didn't love this one.
Waffling between 2 and 2.5 stars.
My rating scale:
1- did not like
1.5- not worth it
2- decent
2.5- good
3- really good
3.5- really good, almost great
4- great
4.5- amazing
5- my favorite
justjoel's review against another edition
5.0
Just a coincidence that I read this during AAPI Heritage Month as every few months, I randomly select a batch of 5 books to read next.
This was my first Amy Tan novel, and I really enjoyed her storytelling. Is this real? Magical realism? Superstition?
Flawed characters whose lives are intertwined in multiple ways populate the novel, and though there weren't a lot of surprises, there really didn't have to be. This was about hope, and possibility, and loyalty.
Definitely a story that will stick with me a long while.
5 out of 5 stars.
This was my first Amy Tan novel, and I really enjoyed her storytelling. Is this real? Magical realism? Superstition?
Flawed characters whose lives are intertwined in multiple ways populate the novel, and though there weren't a lot of surprises, there really didn't have to be. This was about hope, and possibility, and loyalty.
Definitely a story that will stick with me a long while.
5 out of 5 stars.
winglady's review against another edition
5.0
Tan has another winner with a modern, Chinese-American woman and her very non-Western, Chinese half sister. Cultures and belief systems clash and blend, and the result is beautifully magical.
solaana's review against another edition
4.0
I'm pretty much Amy Tan's bitch, since she's the reason I got a 5 on my AP English exam because of her and Auntie Lindo.
notesonbookmarks's review against another edition
4.0
20 years later, I finally re-read this gem. I honestly remembered nothing, but I found the story deep and enchanting. The characters, Olivia and Kwan, are interested and flawed and wonderful. This is not plot driven by any means, but it is beautifully done.
opheliabedilia's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book at least ten years ago, and originally gave it a five star rating based on remembering absolutely loving it. I just read it again, and have downgraded it to four stars. Maybe it was just that point in my life, or maybe I've read so many great books since that I see that this one no longer deserves the rating I reserve for my very favorites.