The book is divided into four parts, spanning time periods from 1864 to 1874, concluding with an epilogue set in 1883. To simplify, events are recounted chronologically rather than in the book’s sequence.
Centered around four characters, the narrative unfolds through their alternating perspectives. In 1874, ConaLee, a thirteen-year-old, accompanies her mother, Mama, on a journey to the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia. They’re sent there by “Papa,” not ConaLee’s biological father, but a menacing drifter who has tormented them since the war’s end. Mama, having recently birthed twins, becomes mute and bedridden. Meanwhile, ConaLee is saddened by the departure of Dearbhla, a maternal figure who raised her father.
The trauma inflicted by Papa erases Mama’s memories, drawing the attention of Dr. Story, a Quaker physician at the asylum. Simultaneously, ConaLee’s true father, suffering from amnesia due to wartime injuries, finds refuge with Dr. John O’Shea, securing a job as a Night Watch at the asylum.
As Mama makes strides in recovery, Papa’s unexpected appearance at the asylum shakes them. However, Mama begins to regain her speech, spending time in Dr. Story’s care. During a carriage ride, a bear encounter rattles the group, unveiling O’Shea’s reluctance towards violence. Later, ConaLee stumbles upon Mama and O’Shea sharing an intimate moment in the garden, unaware of Mama’s regained memory.
As she approaches him, he is drawn to her, recognizing her scent and pondering how. She informs him she knows him. They kiss, observed by ConaLee, who sifts through papers on Mama’s desk and uncovers her writings about O’Shea, discovering he is her father. Alarmed, she rushes to her room. Meanwhile, Weed perched in a tree witnesses O’Shea and Mama below, witnessing their intimate moment.
The following morning, Mrs. Hexham, the cook, is absent from breakfast, prompting Weed to retrieve her. Scaling the tree to her window, he finds her seated at her desk, lifeless. Her head slumps forward, igniting her hair with her desk lamp, sparking a fire. As sirens wail, Weed hears a gunshot nearby.
The shot emanates from Dr. Story’s office, where O’Shea and Mama confront Papa, who has escaped. Threatening Mama with a pistol, O’Shea intervenes, hurling him out of the window. In the struggle, the gun discharges, fatally wounding O’Shea, while Papa lies dead below.
Dearbhla rescues Weed as he falls from the tree, comforting him and a distraught ConaLee. Though the twins have departed—one deceased and the other relocated—Chap, ConaLee’s cherished companion, remains.
In the epilogue, a brighter scene unfolds: Dr. Story and Mama (Eliza) unite in marriage. Despite Dearbhla’s passing, Weed and ConaLee endure, returning to Weston, where ConaLee serves as a nurse assistant at the asylum. Discovering her father’s legacy, she inherits nearly $350, enough to purchase a home for herself and Weed.
Navigating between antebellum chronicles and their aftermath, these intertwined narratives weave a captivating yet disconcerting tale. Laden with sorrow and brutality, the narrative offers scant respite from its darkness, though hints of hope surface in its conclusion. Recommended for aficionados of historical fiction, its compelling, immersive style delves into a challenging epoch, making for a thought-provoking read.