Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of eugenics and sexual assault. The guide also discusses the Aktion T4 program, which was implemented by the Nazi regime during World War II and euthanized children with disabilities.

At the center of the novel lie three disadvantaged young women, all of whom suffer unjustly from the social stigmas imposed upon them by the arbitrary standards of their respective cultures. By detailing the myriad hardships that they endure, the author strives to give a voice to the voiceless and raise awareness of the ways in which such women were historically marginalized and abused. These three women are Rosanne “Rosie” Maras (the primary protagonist), Amaryllis (the daughter whom Rosie is forced to give up), and Brigitta Maier (an Austrian girl who has a physical disability and numerous undisclosed health problems). As the novel shifts between the disparate narrative threads, the author challenges the societal devaluation of these characters by finding unique ways to stress their intrinsic worth and dignity, thereby denouncing the various ways in which society has deemed each character to be less fit, less desirable, or less worthy of compassion.