Hằng is an 18-year-old Vietnamese refugee, freshly arrived in the United States at the start of the book. She is in search of her brother, from whom she was separated six years ago when he was brought over to America via Operation Babylift. By the time Hằng arrives in the country, her brother is her only immediate family left, her parents and grandmother having passed away.

Hằng is fueled by the single-minded goal of finding her brother, so much so that she embarks on a solo journey through Texas to this end, despite barely speaking English. She is motivated by the guilt she feels over what happened to her brother, as well as the effort her grandmother had put into the plan to find him. Her journey illustrates her inherent determination, which manifests as stubbornness sometimes, that allows her to survive all manner of trauma in pursuit of her goal.

Yet, Hằng’s determination belies an underlying compassion and resilience. When she eventually finds her brother and discovers that he does not want to leave his new life, she does not insist on going through with her goal, regardless of the cost. Her love for her brother is greater than her need to see her dream unfold exactly as planned.