I really enjoyed this book--it was very unique and I learned about a new place and culture. It took me a long time to read, both because I haven't had too much time and because there's not too much of a driving force to keep you reading to find out what happens. It's strength lies in interesting characters that are slightly larger than life. The narrator is a woman who has mysteriously died right before a trip with a group of friends and acquaintances to Burma. Her spirit accompanies them on their adventures, usually making amusing commentaries about the actions of the other characters and the situations they encounter. One of the ideas of the book is the question of whether our good-intentioned actions to help others are indeed helpful. Sometimes they can even be harmful. I think at times we do something for someone else based on our own ideologies and mindset, not considering their own. The Golden Rule--"do unto others as you would have them do unto you"--should more aptly say "Do unto others as they would have you do for them." The difficulty in this is really knowing what others really want and need. I tend to over-analyze and then do nothing, or completely mess up and do the wrong thing. I guess it's a learning process that takes lots of practice.This book was not quite as good as I remember The Bonesetter's Daughter being. But one thing I think you can count on with Amy Tan is experiencing life in another time or part of the world. I learned a lot about the culture, religion and government of Burma, a place I had never given any thought to before in my life. How did I ever make it through my life not knowing about Burma!
