Katherine Maitland has always wondered what happened to her Shetland grandfather when he emigrated to Winnipeg around 1900; why his life turned out the way it did. She sets out on a journey of discovery, based on the slimmest of evidence, and in the process, her own life takes a new and unforeseen turn. Part historical, part contemporary quest, the two stories of this novel intertwine and reflect one another with considerable deftness. They are, above all else, about the human condition, and the constraints on deciding our own destinies.
