Dorothea's father, like all good parents, wanted to keep his children
safe. But unlike other parents, Charles O'Brien believed the only way to
do so was to leave everything behind, including his very successful
life. In a rocky, desolate corner of New Mexico, on a thirty-five acre
estate he called the "Sanctuary," Charles raised the children in
complete isolation, with books and encyclopedias, records and a grand
piano, but no television, computer, radio, or even a newspaper. Now,
Dorothea, at twenty-three, is leaving this place for the first time, in
search of her missing brother--and venturing into the world.
Dorothea's search will turn into an odyssey of discovery, leading to the
truth of her family's past and the terrifying day that changed her
father forever. But Dorothea's journey will also introduce her to an
unusual cast of characters, including a homeless girl from Missouri who
becomes a jazz singer and a doctor turned cabdriver who has suffered his
own losses. Together, they have a chance to make a discovery of a
different kind: that though a heart can be broken by the tragic events
of a day, a day can also bring a new chance at love and a deeper
understanding of life's infinite possibilities.
