This novel unfolds the heart-wrenching story of a family irrevocably changed one snowy night in 1964. When a doctor is forced to deliver his own twins, he makes a split-second decision to send his newborn daughter, born with Down syndrome, away with the nurse, instructing her to place the baby in an institution. Instead, the nurse moves to another city and raises the girl as her own. The secret of the daughter's existence creates a silent chasm in the doctor's marriage and profoundly affects their son, as the lie that was meant to protect them all slowly erodes their lives. Spanning a quarter of a century, the novel explores themes of love, loss, and the complex nature of family and identity.

The 8651st greatest book of all time