Amy Tan’s The Hundred Secret Senses (1996) explores the complex relationship between Olivia, a travel photographer, and her eccentric half-sister, Kwan. Born in America to a Chinese father, Olivia has a strained relationship with Kwan, who claims to see the dead and believes in the spiritual World of Yin. The novel alternates between Olivia's pragmatic, Western perspective and Kwan’s spiritual, Eastern worldview. Kwan’s stories of reincarnation and her past life as Nunumu, a servant in 1800s China, shape Olivia’s journey toward reconciling her cultural identity and embracing a deeper understanding of loyalty, love, and the unseen connections between life and death. The novel highlights themes of family bonds, cultural clash, and spiritual awakening.
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