Sent by their mother to live with their devout grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother endure the ache of abandonment and prejudice.
At eight years old and back at her mother's side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age - and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.