Sisters Linno and Anju are brought up by their grandmother, Ammachi, and their father, the good-hearted but somewhat bumbling Melvin, after the death of their mother, Gracie. They share an idyllic childhood and a close bond, but when Anju betrays Linno and wins a scholarship to America as a result, it seems that their relationship will never recover.

At first, left behind, Linno seems to have few prospects. One hand crippled, she nevertheless perseveres with her art, making a name for herself as the painter of beautiful shop windows. In a twist of fate, Linno’s art propels her into a brilliant career, while Anju struggles in New York, helped by a stranger called Bird, who seems to know a lot about Anju’s past.

Sharp yet sympathetic, Tania James confidently and skilfully portrays a family and world strained by secrets from the past. Certainties once held are revealed as illusions, and her characters, at once inspiring and pitiable, must ultimately deal with their demons or be forever lost. A wonderful debut!