Many dangers lurk in the marshes of 1950s North Carolina—among them, the criminals who hide there. Kya Clark’s father, an abusive drunk, is one such criminal. When his wife decides she can’t take it anymore and leaves, four of their five children follow, until at last only ten-year-old Kya is left. At first, her dad is around sometimes; he teaches her to drive their boat and to fish, and provides a pittance for their groceries. But eventually, he leaves too, and Kya is left all alone.
