Vztah mezi Avou Fisherovou a její matkou Ilse nikdy nebyl bezproblémový. Ve vzduchu viselo příliš mnoho otázek. Kdo je Avin otec? Co dělala Ilse za války? Proč svou jedinou dceru nechala v posledním válečném roce v německém sirotčinci? Nyní ale z Německa dorazily Ilsiny ostatky a s nimi i složka neodesla ných dopisů adresovaných neznámé ženě: Renate Bauerové, přítelkyni z dětství. Matčiny dopisy odhalují temnou minulost a Ava se noří do šokujícího příběhu ženy, kterou nikdy doopravdy neznala.
In 1913 an orphan girl boards a steamship bound for Wuhu in South East China. Left in the hands of her soft-hearted but opium-addicted uncle she is delivered to the hall of eternal splendour which, with its painted faces and troubling cries in the night, seems destined to break her spirit. And yet the girl survives and one day hope appears in the unlikely form of a customs inspector, a modest man resistant to the charms of the corrupt world that surrounds him but not to the innocent girl who stands before him.
Reminiscent of "Memoirs of a Geisha," this novel is a re-imagining of the life of Pan Yuliang and her transformation from prostitute to post-Impressionist.
Set in the Salpetriere asylum, Josephine struggles with amnesia and is labeled as hysterical, a condition that captivates both the public and the renowned doctor Jean-Martin Charcot. As she becomes a star attraction through hypnosis, her bond with Laure, a compassionate ward attendant, deepens into a romantic connection. With Josephine's memories resurfacing, she grapples with the fear of a crime she believes she committed, prompting Laure to uncover the truth about Josephine while planning their escape from the asylum's confines.