A harrowing novel that portrays what life was like for Jewish families living in the supposedly Free Zone of France during World War II.

Summer, 1941: the Brodskys, a Jewish family, have fled the Nazi threat in occupied France to take refuge in the southern French town of Saint-Girons, at the foot of the Pyrénées.
Little by little, the family's three generations arrange their lives as best as they can. At school, Esther, the oldest of the children, meets Clara. As with most teens, this is a time in their lives filled with great emotions, first love, and powerful friendships.
Decades later, when Esther is suffering from senility, her granddaughter Deborah visits with her only to hear her yells out the name “Clara!” Deborah decides to piece together her family’s history which for so long has been kept secret.