Lily Shields navigates the complex, fractured legacy of her mother's mental instability while attempting to forge her own identity as an adult and parent. Growing up in the lush, isolated environment of Hawaii, Lily serves as the primary emotional anchor for her mother, Anna, whose fragile and glamorous exterior masks a deep, consuming neediness. The narrative shifts between Lily's childhood memories and her adult life in self-imposed exile, examining the persistent, invisible tethers of familial obligation. Through a prose style that emphasizes sensory detail and atmospheric tension, the story explores the logical constraints of memory and the physical distance required to process childhood trauma.

Discussion often centers on the author's precise, evocative prose and her ability to capture the specific, humid atmosphere of Hawaii. Readers frequently highlight the intense, often uncomfortable focus on the symbiotic and destructive nature of the mother-daughter bond. Critics often point to the novel's economy of language, noting that it conveys significant emotional weight without relying on excessive exposition. The work is widely regarded for its psychological acuity and its refusal to offer simple resolutions to the complex problems of family history. Readers who appreciate character-focused narratives that prioritize internal development over external action often find this work particularly effective.