The Coffin TreeWendy Law-Yone opens her first novel with the phrase of a survivor, "Living things prefer to go on living." A young woman and her older half-brother are expelled from their home in Burma by a savage political coup. Sent to elusive safety in America, the motherless siblings find themselves engulfed by the indifference, hypocrisy, and cruelty of an American society unable to deal with difference. Her brother's death drives the unnamed narrator into the seclusion of a mental hospital, where memories of her childhood and the strength it ingrained in her are enough to heal her heart and return her to the outside world. |
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answer arms asked aunts began believe better body brother brought child close danger dark dead death door dream eyes face Father fear feel feet felt fingers floor friends gave give gone ground hair hand happened head heard heart held Helga hope kind knew later leave light living look mean mind minute months morning mother mouth moved never night noticed once Paddy pain passed past picked played questions reached remained returned rice Sarah seemed seen Shan side sitting sleep smile sound standing stood stopped story street suddenly talk tell things thought told took train tree trying turned village voice waiting walked wanted watch Winston woman wondered