Blog this item

Saving Fish from Drowning

By Amy Tan

(41)

| Hardcover | 9780399153013

Like Saving Fish from Drowning?
Join aNobii to see if your friends read it, and discover similar books!

Book Description

A provocative new novel from the bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter's Daughter.

On an ill-fated art expedition into the southern Shan state of Burma, eleven Americans leave their Floating Island Resort for a Christmas-morning tour-and disappear. ThroughContinue

Critics

Burmese haze

Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan 474pp, Fourth Estate, £16.99 Saving Fish from Drowning describes the adventures of a group of 12 American tourists, ranging from a neurotic hypochondriac to a British-born dogshow host, who are on an art tour of C ... (read full critics)

guardian.co.uk published on Sat, 25 Sep 2010

I'm not a celebrity, but get me out of here anyway

Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan Fourth Estate £16.99, pp476 Amy Tan's ambitious fifth novel is narrated by a ghost who, like all of Tan's heroines, is caught between two worlds, part of both yet belonging to neither; although her body is dead, h ... (read full critics)

guardian.co.uk published on Sat, 25 Sep 2010

See all critics

5 Reviews

I love Amy Tan and her wonderful descriptions of the assimilating Asian characters and their views of the American culture.

Is this helpful?

OleArch said on Sep 21, 2009 | Add your feedback

When Bibi Chen mysteriously dies it's not over for her. Her soul will accompany her friends to Burma, the journey she planned to have with them. She's the one who tells us the story. She's the witness of all her friends' adventures. What it started as a holiday turns abruptly into an unaware kidnapp ... (continue)

When Bibi Chen mysteriously dies it's not over for her. Her soul will accompany her friends to Burma, the journey she planned to have with them. She's the one who tells us the story. She's the witness of all her friends' adventures. What it started as a holiday turns abruptly into an unaware kidnapping by a tribe, who recognise their saviour among these funny American tourists. We will learn things about Burma and its struggle for independence as well as the daily fight of its tribes for survival in a both funny and moving way. In the end we will discover so much about humanity and friendship. Of course she'll unveil the mystery about her death too.
After "The hundred secret senses" (I read it in Italian and I fell in love with it: http://www.anobii.com/books/I_cento_sensi_segreti/97888… another lovely book by this author.

Is this helpful?

Katia Guido said on May 19, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

Again, this is not the sort of book I would usually read, but I had nothing else handy, so I read it. Nice read was too. It helped that I know many of the places where the story goes, as far as Yunnan province is concerned. Once they get to Burma the story gets lost a bit, but it was OK.

Is this helpful?

KillingTime said on Jan 14, 2009 | Add your feedback

Saving Fish from Drowning

Again a very interesting and absorbing tale well told by Amy Tan, even though I found somewhat difficult to associate the theme of love with the main character, Bibi Chen. Her death doesn't seem to be accumulating to the deep thoughts the author might have wanted. Otherwise, it was still a good read ... (continue)

Again a very interesting and absorbing tale well told by Amy Tan, even though I found somewhat difficult to associate the theme of love with the main character, Bibi Chen. Her death doesn't seem to be accumulating to the deep thoughts the author might have wanted. Otherwise, it was still a good read, especially at a time when we know how appalling the Burmese junta can be.

Is this helpful?

秋盈 said on May 12, 2008 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

Really bad story. I couldn't find a point to it or any reason to continue so I gave it up. Not a good read at all. Skip this one!

Is this helpful?

Deanna Kyre said on Apr 11, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback