Two sisters… separate lives… one family that binds them together forever.Emma and Joan are the two daughters of the Lew family, coming of age during and after the turbulent years of World War II. Beautiful elder sister Joan hopes for a traditional family life, but through a series of troubled relationships begins a career as a Chinese film actress. Emma, inspired by the independence of her Aunt Go, sets her sights on an artistic life in San Francisco, only to find further solace back in Hong Kong.In the tradition of her previous, acclaimed novels, Gail Tsukiyama creates a moving, memorable story of women’s experiences in Chinese culture.