PublishedPenguin, October 2010 |
ISBN9780141047089 |
FormatSoftcover, 288 pages |
Dimensions19.8cm × 12.9cm × 1.8cm |
'I am still haunted by Mah's memoir . . . Riveting. A marvel of memory. Poignant proof of the human will to endure' Amy Tan Adeline Yen Mah's childhood in China during the civil war was a time of fear, isolation and humiliation. The cause of this was not political upheaval but systemic emotional and physical abuse by her step-mother and siblings, and rejection by her father.
Falling Leaves is the story of a 'Fifth Younger Daughter' and her determination to survive the pain of a lonely childhood. 'Falling Leaves is a terrible and riveting family history . . . It is also a story about endurance and the cost it can exact . . . gripping' Daily Telegraph 'An illuminating account of the destructive nature of family relationships set against a backdrop of China in change' Mail on Sunday 'A light burns in this book that is never extinguished . . . it is an act, not a vengeance or bitterness, but of catharsis' Sunday Telegraph 'The pain of so much emotional abuse leaps from every page . . . the most amazing aspect of this story is that Adeline managed to survive . . . and emerge triumphant . . . compelling' Daily Mail
