In the fall of 1928, Nicolai Kota leads a Roma caravan into a community in eastern Germany for the annual fair, where they expect to display their talents. When nine-year-old Punita is attacked, the Kota family makes the difficult decision to leave her in the care of a relative. While the caravan resumes its cyclical travels through Europe, Punita remains with Nicolai's cousin to attend school. It's six long years before the caravan returns. Punita is now a young woman in love, dreaming of marriage. However, when her beloved receives orders to serve in the youth army for a year, that dream must be delayed. Just days later, danger descends, and each family from the caravan flees for their lives. Nicolai, his wife Rosalee, and Punita set out for the safety of Amsterdam. But on the way, Nicolai is trapped and sent to the concentration camp at Dachau. Punita and Rosalee are forced to embark upon a sea voyage to Amsterdam without him. In Amsterdam, Punita and her mother are welcomed by family friends, but even there tragedy awaits. To survive, Punita sets up an unusual business in the Red Light District. Together, , and tell of the challenges and changes that external forces place on everyday people, who must rise above their own expectations to meet family obligations and responsibilities-no matter how reluctant they may be to do so. They provide the reader with an opportunity to consider life from an alternate perspective.