As much as they tried to escape it, when they lived in the town, they were still colored, and their father was even murdered by white men for the color of his skin. Their mother decided to make them drop out of school, and start working for a rich white family, which only made them feel more trapped. They spent a little while working in the house, but after a while, it became apparent to them that the only option they had was to run away. Stella and Desiree fled to New Orleans and tried their best to make a life for themselves. They soon drifted apart, and found new work, love, and even had kids of their own. They grew up and tried to forget about each other and their lives in Mallard, but it was almost impossible. The book follows the lives of the twins and their families, and how they eventually made their way back to Mallard, while also tackling their racial identity, and how the color of their skin affected their futures even after they left Mallard.

I thought this book was very beautifully written. It was almost like putting together a puzzle. With each part, we learned more about the twins' life, and as the book progressed, so did time, and you acquired new perspectives. The book always provided you with more facts to finish the puzzle, which made it exciting to ultimately find out how the twins would reunite at the end, and what drove them to do the things they did.

This book is great for anyone who wants to explore historical fiction but isn't sure where to begin. It combines characteristics of many different genres, such as realistic fiction and mystery, while still developing suspense, making it an excellent place to begin. It is also great for those who wish to understand more about race and how people’s views on different races changed through generations. It is considered Adult Fiction.