The Odour of Chrysanthemums is the story of Elizabeth, a young woman whose alcoholic and abusive husband, Walter, dies in a Nottinghamshire coal mining pit. The story follows Elizabeth as she prepares the body for burial. Her calmness and her ability to help her children through the tragedy are contrasted with her mother-in-law's anguish and hysterical discomposure. The story deals with themes of marriage, abuse, unhappiness, emotional connection, and bravery in the face of death.
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