Customer Reviews

A Hundred Years of Happiness

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a brilliant story with a modern day fable woven throughout, and it completely pulls you in to the mystery of what really happened forty years before in Vietnam and how it is affecting two daughters now.

I don't really want to give away any of the story, but just wanted to say that this is definitely worth the read.

Nicole Seitz is rewarded for what was undoubtedly tedious research in the culmination of this beautiful work of art. Nicole's talent as an artist is as evident on the cover (her work) as in the pages of this novel that takes you into the minds and hearts of a family of blood and circumstances, stumbling their way back to each other. It is a beautiful novel that lingers long after the final page is turned.

Nicole Seitz has joined the great with A Hundred Years of Happiness. She keeps you in suspense and guessing right up to the last page. She has mastered the writing craft and I look forward to her next work.
Fred M. Tobinson

Nicole Seitz is a very gifted writer. I really enjoy how she layers her stories with depth. At the end of this book, I think I sat stunned for a moment. It was brilliant. I think every library should carry her books. She most certainly has a place on my library shelf.

Seitz tackles the subject of the Vietnam war and it's aftermath in this haunting and beautiful story. Woven between three families and 2 decades, things unfold through flashbacks and memories. Struggling with her father, a daughter begins to discover just how much he suffered during the battle he fought so long ago. Does she have a sister that might be the result of her father's affair in Vietnam? As usual, Seitz packs the twists and turns and a big surprise towards the end. Great read.

This book captured my attention from the beginning to the end. It was about a Vietnam War veteran John Porter, who had a hard time dealing with what happened at the war. The story also centered around his wife and his daughter, both of whom tried very hard to try to help John and to reconnect with him. The story also deals with a Vietnamese immigrant Lisa Le and her mother. Their lives were also touched by the war and were intertwined with the Porters. Their stories were interesting by themselves, but I thought the most fascinating part of the story is about John Porter's war buddy, Ernest, who turned into a fish and were trapped in a fish pond during the war. At the end of the book, we found out what really happened to him, and how he was connected to all the other characters. A Hundred Years of Happiness is very well-written and clever book. You won't regret picking this book up!

I enjoyed how the characters' lives -- which seemed so disjointed at the outset -- became interwoven as the story progressed. The book touches on themes of compassion, forgiveness, self-acceptance, friendship, and family, and the reader gains insight about characters' Christian beliefs that are solid but never pretentious. I love a book that can surprise me, and this one did! I highly recommend it.

"A Hundred Years of Happiness" is a treasure...a truly lovely book! Rich characters, down to earth dialogue, and a meaningful storyline make it the perfect summer read.

Nicole Seitz has a way with sentences... they flow, they meander, and they artfully weave characters, thoughts, and ideas in the most wonderful manner. By the last chapter I was doing things like sucking in my breath, and saying "Oooo!" It's not that A Hundred Years of Happiness has a surprise ending, but more that it has a deeply satisfying, tender, touching, and poignant ending. It's a beautiful book that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

I have read all three of Nicole Seitz's novels. A Hundred Years of Happiness was yet another wonderful offering. The story is gripping, as John struggles with his demons and "Katie-bug" tries to find herself. I completely identified with Kate. This is a story of love and redemption. I highly recommend it to everyone!

This is in response to the critical review who stated that the book was not a Christian book because the dead man inhabited the body of a fish. The critic totally misunderstood the plot that was revealed at the end. The man had NOT been dead at all. It was a masterful attempt to describe the possible dreamlike state of mind of a person who is unconscious. I also think this book is a valuable book to help those who suffer with post-traumatic stress syndrome.