Fragile Creatures

A powerful debut from an extraordinary voice, gentle in the face of extremityKhins sister Theda has a strange illness and a euthanasia drug locked in a box under her bed. Her doctor thinks her problem is purely physical, and so does she, but Khin is not so sure. He knows what they both went through growing up in Perth it wasnt welcoming back then for a Burmese-Australian family.With Thedas condition getting worse, Khin heads off to the United States. He needs to sort things out with his ex-partner. Once there, events take a very odd turn, and he finds himself in court.This is a family story told with humour, wonderment and complete honesty. Its about care, truth and the hardest choices and what happens when realities clash. How do we balance responsibility for others with what we owe ourselves? Fragile Creatures will sweep you up and leave you stunned at its power.The miracle of this book is the writers tone: calm, patient and searching, steadfast in the face of unthinkable suffering Helen Garner, author of The Spare RoomCompelling and compassionate. Your heart will ache as you read Khin Myints beautiful, poetic prose. Such wisdom and grace in these pages an extraordinary story I will keep thinking about for a long time to come. Alice Pung, author of One Hundred DaysA fearless and incisive exploration of masculinity, families and racism. Khin Myint brings a sharp emotional intelligence and a gentle sensibility to this extraordinary story that is at once quietly devastating and uplifting. A new and compelling voice in Australian non-fiction. Kristina Olsson, author of Boy, Lost: A Family Memoir