ABSTRACT
That dear octopus we call the family, from whose tentacles we can never quite escape.
- Dodie Smith, DEAR OCTOPUS
A family is a place where we are bom and brought up. It brings us joy and gives us pain. We love it, we hate it. But once we are part of it, we will always be so. Some people aspire to harmonious family life and happy marriage, but their experiences are not quite what they anticipate. This book is a record of my investigation into the untold life experiences of some people in Hong Kong who expected better family life and happier marriages the second time. I shall begin by explaining why I was interested in exploring stepfamilies in the society in which I have been living since birth.
