This tale of a young Vietnamese woman, Mai Lan, begins in a small home surrounded by fields of mustard cabbage. The war is raging not only in the villages but also in the cities. Mai Lan longs to escape the hell surrounding her and grabs the opportunity when an educated and handsome Vietnamese man, Minh, comes back to visit his family and gets acquainted with her. The North Vietnamese Army takes over the main cities in the South on the eve of Lunar New Year 1968 during Minh's visit, leading Mai Lan, a medical student, to treat wounded soldiers and experience firsthand the effects of war.

Minh and Mai Lan get married in Hawaii over the objections of Minh's mother. Mai Lan gets a taste of public opinion about the Vietnam War at the University of Hawaii, Manoa campus, and wonders about the family she left behind.

The war ends in 1975. Minh's family flees the Communists and settles in Hawaii.

Mother-in-Law's animosity poisons the family's relationships. Minh and Mai Lan get caught up in an emotional storm, which results in Mai Lan losing her grip on reality. Mai Lan starts having out-of-this world visions, described vividly in the story, and encountering the world beyond. The couple's life is also complicated by events following the arrival of a letter from a cousin from North Vietnam. The couple seeks counseling, resulting in Mai Lan asking for a divorce. Minh reacts tragically to the news. Mai Lan tries to adjust to her new life raising her two children by herself. She takes inspiration from Scarlett O' Hara in Gone with the Wind. She also has repeated encounters with a power beyond herself, which gradually brings her to Jesus Christ. The final chapters describe Mai Lan's reconciliation with her mother-in-law and the peace found caring for the people of Hawaii through her nursing jobs.