A sweeping debut novel follows three generations of Vietnamese American women grappling with the death of their matriarch and the family's inherited burdens, secrets, and love stories. When Ann Tran learns of her beloved grandmother Minh's passing, her life is already at a crossroads. After years of building a seemingly perfect life—complete with a beautiful lake house and a charming professor boyfriend—everything unravels with a positive pregnancy test. Ann returns to Florida to confront her estranged mother, Huơng, who is mourning her mother while resenting her for the relationship she had with Ann. The two women discover that Minh has left them the Banyan House, Ann’s childhood home, and under its Gothic roof, they must confront their past and uncertain futures while trying to rebuild their relationship without the glue that held them together. Parallel to their story is Minh’s journey from a lovestruck teenager during the Vietnam War to a determined immigrant seeking a better life for her children. A shocking discovery in the attic reveals long-buried secrets, illustrating how Minh's decisions shaped their lives. Spanning decades and continents, this deeply moving narrative explores the complexities of motherhood, inheritance, and the lives we create.
