“I am a huge fan of Amy Tan's books, and I think this is one of her best yet. It's somewhat different from her other books as it does not primarily focus on mother/daughter relationships, and the book is quite humorous, unlike the rest of her novels that are fairly serious and sad.
This is more of an adventure story about a group of 12 American tourists who disappear in the jungles of Myanmar while on vacation. The narrator, Bibi, is a dead woman who organized the trip for her friends before her untimely and unexplained death. As a spirit, she is all-knowing, all-seeing, which makes for an interesting read. It is written as a first-person narrative, but because Bibi knows and sees all, it is almost like reading a novel written in the 3rd-person.
Tan, like always, does an excellent job of fleshing out all the characters. As you read the book you can easily see how it could be made into a movie in the future. The characters are realistic -- they all have their strengths and weaknesses. The novel also explores some complex issues, like the media's role in shaping (or in this case, creating) the news, how society views reality shows, and the oppressive government and genocide in Myanmar.
The only fault I found with novel was in the Note to the Reader at the front of the book, so I'll give you all a heads-up about it now. Readers expect the Note to the Reader to be real -- this on is not, and unless you read the Question & Answers with Amy Tan section in the back, you don't know that. I felt a bit cheated after reading that, because I like to pretend in my own little world that the Note to the Reader is written exclusively to ME from the author. I felt lied to after learning the truth.
All in all, this is an excellent book -- one I plan to keep and read over and over. I consider this one a must-read. Although most of Amy Tan's books are geared towards women, I think men would equally enjoy this novel.”