Amina, a young refugee living with a foster family, flees her home following a volatile confrontation and seeks shelter in an abandoned building. Displaced and searching for her biological mother, Amina encounters Paul, a squatter who provides her with temporary security. Together, they navigate the precarious reality of urban squatting while evading authorities and hostile groups targeting asylum seekers. The narrative follows their efforts to uncover the truth about Amina's past while managing the immediate threats posed by their living situation.

Readers frequently highlight the book's compassionate approach to the complexities of the refugee experience. Discussion often centers on the author's ability to weave themes of music and oral tradition into a narrative about social alienation. Critics note that the pacing effectively balances the immediate danger of eviction with the protagonist's emotional search for her mother. The work is often praised for its focus on the necessity of human connection in the face of systemic instability. Many readers appreciate the grounded portrayal of the characters' struggles without resorting to overly sentimental resolutions.