Parallel stories of two sisters, one who stays in India and unexpectedly blossoms, and the other who has an opportunity to study in the U.S.--the coveted prize--and unexpectedly fails. It turns out there are a lot of secrets and lies working against the close-knit Kerala family, but Tania James doesn't leave her characters (or her readers) without resolution. Sometimes I think authors write themselves to the point where they don't know how to end a novel, or think it is more artistic to have no resolution. I loved reading this story and found it very satisfying. Not that every detail was tied up or everything was happy, but the ending felt true and hopeful.