Meredith and Nina are two sisters who spend their life trying to gain their mother's love. Anya, their mom, is a cold, distant woman with a past that she manages to keep to herself for most of the girls' life. When, as children, the sisters try to act out the fairy tale that their mother tells them at night, her response is one that sets up the background for the rest of the novel. Ethan is the father who is the only one who knows the truth behind the fairy tale and on his deathbed asks that his daughters get to the truth behind it.

The fairy tale itself is the story of their mother, Anya's, life in war torn Leningrad. I found this part of the book to be fascinating, not knowing much about it myself. The perils of her journey are heart wrenching to say the least. It certainly made the reader understand her character better but I am at a loss as to how the girl's father allowed his two daughters to be treated so coldly by their mother. I really feel like he would have had them learn of their mother's life much sooner than when it was actually brought to light. In any event, I really enjoyed the book.