The first novel of Kate Williams' revolutionary new historical series, starting during World War I. In the idyllic early summer months of 1914, life is good for the de Witt family. German Rudolf and his aristocratic English wife Verena are planning their daughter Emmeline's wedding, while their eldest son Arthur is studying in Paris and Michael has just returned from his first term at Cambridge. Celia, the youngest of the de Witt children, is in her pre-teen years and secretly dreams of escaping her planned future and exploring the world. But with the onset of war, the de Wit family is at risk of losing everything they hold dear. As Celia tries to understand the changing world around her, she lies about her age to join the war effort and becomes involved in a complex plot that endangers both her and her loved ones. With captivating detail and exceptional empathy, Kate Williams narrates the story of Celia and her family as they become isolated from a society that once embraced them, are torn apart by grief, and disturbed by the storms of war.