The Wicked Life) is a 1987 novel by the Guadeloupean writer, Maryse Condé, translated into English in 1992 by Victoria Reiter.

Tree of Life is narrated by Coco, the great granddaughter of Albert Louis, a Guadeloupean man who tries to raise himself out of poverty.

Elaise begins to suffer from a series of hemorrhages, supposedly due to the supernatural presence of Albert's first wife (Liza) and dies after the third occurrence.

The Chicago Tribune called the novel "a grand account of the Caribbean, the politics of race and immigration, and the intricate, often sordid legacy of colonialism".

[2] A Publishers Weekly review noted that "Conde's vast skills as a storyteller rest in her intensely vivid characterizations, and her gifts for nuance, humor and analysis command the reader's attention and respect.