The book follows the life of Lilly from her birth on Easter Sunday 1937 to Easter Sunday 2022. Raised in poverty, Lilly lived in several villages throughout her life, meeting various villagers who helped raise her, as well as antagonists who made her life difficult. Despite her traumatic past, Lilly survived and developed a unique coping and survival technique. Instead of dwelling on her past, she focused on helping others who were struggling with similar problems. Throughout the book, the reader is introduced to the various people who influenced Lilly, from her Modoc Indian heritage to her Christian faith. The book also touches on the mysterious connections between mother and child and the capacity for shared pain and grief. While the book takes some literary freedom and changes some names, it is not a work of fiction. In other cases, the author used historical information and interviews with people who knew Lilly to fill in the gaps in her story.