Turner masterfully weaves a tale of love, life and heartbreak in the depths of Cajun country. Josephine Chauvin is a mother who must make the decision no mother should ever be faced with---which children to save and which to leave behind. She and her daughter, Evangeline, take the two youngest children and escape into the swamps of south Louisiana. The mysterious James enters their lives to lend them a helping hand. He becomes a stable influence for this small family as they provide him with the purpose he had been seeking all his life. Infusing side stories as varied as life in the foothills of North Carolina, the Korean War, and the Catholic Church, Turner has produced a story rich in dialogue and provocative descriptions known for its joie de vivre.