by Amy Tan
First published 1995
Olivia Yee's life is upended when her half-sister Kwan suddenly appears, claiming to have magical "yin eyes" that allow her to see ghosts. As Olivia accompanies Kwan on a journey to their father's village in China, she is forced to confront her own past and the secrets that have long divided their family. In the face of Kwan's unwavering belief in the supernatural, Olivia must decide whether to open her mind to the possibility of a deeper, more mystical connection between them.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, magical-realism, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: China, San Francisco (Calif.), United States
Period: 20th-century
358 pages · Hardcover · Putnam