The Serpents Child

When the villagers call Cassia and her brother "the serpent's children", they mean it as an insult. But to Cassia it is an honor, for legend says that once a serpent sets her mind on something, she never gives up. Set in 19th-century China, during a time of famine, violence, and the threats of the Manchurian government, this novel by the author of Dragon's Gate tells a compelling story of a young girl's struggle to survive.