The book begins with narration from a child protagonist who is unnamed throughout the novel, though we have referred to her in this guide by the shorthand of “the Girl” for ease of description. She is a child at the outset of the novel who has fled from post-war Vietnam with her father and some strangers to a foreign country: America. She expresses in a child-like way the settings of her new home while wondering about her mother back in Vietnam and her deceased brother, whom she does not quite fully understand is dead due to her parents’ silence around the matter. She senses the presence of his spirit with her everywhere in the U.S. The Girl is a curious child who observes the world around her in great detail. She is a spirited young girl who resembles her father in both appearance and stubborn temperament. She has an affinity for animals and plants.

As the novel progresses and the Girl goes from child to teenager to adult, readers see the tension and eventual dissolution of her relationship with her parents due to their violent fights and inability to cope with their trauma, which they have passed on to their daughter.