This book covers the internment camps that we put Japanese Americans into during World War II, specifically the one called Manzanar. Mari's brother, Mak, has gone off to fight in the war, which has caused friction between Mak and his father. Mari is struggling to find where she fits in. She's taken a vow of silence, which her mother respects, and her father seems a little confused by. Between Mari's thoughts and Mak's stories (told in graphic novel format) the reader gets a view of conflicting states of Japanese life at the time. I think Mari's story especially shows how horrible internment camps were, especially with health care. A powerful read.