Do you see Teera and Narunn recreating new, non-traditional families for themselves in the war's aftermath? What "families" did you find throughout the novel?

Teera and Narunn each lost their families during Pol Pot's regime. Do you see them recreating other, non-traditional families for themselves in the war's aftermath? What "families" did you find throughout the novel?

I particularly loved this aspect of the book. Although Teera, Narunn, Tun, and the little girl (can't think of her name right now) all lost their families, they managed to piece together a non-traditional family regardless.

Most of the characters were born into traditional families, but through the war, were forced into non-traditional families. Teera had her aunt. The Old Musician and others displaced had the monks. Yara opened her door to to her descendants and others. Narunn had the monks the doctor who encouraged him. The Old Musician and Teera's father had become as "brothers' in caring for each other in the prison. Teera and Narunn have bonded and taken in the child. There are others and all show the strength of family, even if not conventional. These are all positives in the book.

Teera and Narunn have bonded in what most of the Cambodians recognized as marriage, and then the little girl comes along to complete that family. Yara opens her heart and her home and creates a large family filled with love. It is the bonding and the forming of new families that is the hope of a country devastated by war. Life will go on.