Issues of self-discovery, Muslim culture, and the mother-daughter relationship are explored in this beautifully crafted novel. Lian's father is Australian, her mother a Vietnamese refugee; growing up on a tiny island in Australia, she resents her mother's Vietnamese heritage and her own mixed race. When Lian flees her native country to study in Yemen she experiences a welcome loss of identity, immersing herself in the richness of the Arabic culture and language. But, eventually the overwhelming challenges of living in a foreign culture help her to find compassion for her mother's difficult life. Breathtaking ocean and mother-goddess imagery abound in this timely and compassionate work.