This book is divided into 3 parts, following two sisters Pearl and May Chin as they grow and face hardships among various historically significant events and places, such as facing internment at Angel Island, World War 2, the Chinese Exclusion Act and the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. Growing up, Pearl was always jealous of her younger sister May because of her beauty, while May envied Pearl because she went to college and was favored by their parents. However, their sheltered lifestyle had to come to an abrupt end when war broke out, and tragedy, a need for survival and desperation forced them to move to America. There, they stuck together and raised families in a time where America was openly racist and discriminatory against Asians. A common theme in this book is the relationship between sisters.