The increasing danger in Syria forces the main character, Doaa, and her family to reach Egypt for safety. Doaa makes a romantic connection with a former soldier and together seek asylum. They take the overcrowded voyage across the Mediterranean.
Doaa learns firsthand how unforgiving the Sea can be, as she must fight for her life, using all her might to find hope. The storyline of this book features topics of culture, the Middle East, history, biographical memoir, immigration, and politics.