Eva is a seventeen-year-old from Edmonton in 1979 who is experiencing a world of trouble at home. To escape the trouble, she decides to visit her family's homeland of Poland for the summer, staying with an older half-sister, Hanna, whose existence Eva has only recently discovered. In Communist Poland, she experiences a different way of living, one where the conveniences she has taken for granted do not exist. She finds, however, the rich cultural traditions both fascinating and compelling. She meets a mysterious, charming young man named Mark, who shows her around the city, but his anger and disenchantment disturb her. The first seeds of the Solidarity Uprising are starting to grow and the workers, peasants and intellectuals are beginning to unite under the leadership of the church. Eva's visit also takes place during the Papal visit to Poland which galvanized the people to strike their blow for freedom. Against this tumultuous backdrop, Eva learns about the resilience in herself and her politically maturing people.