Kwam and Olivia Yee, one wholly Chinese, the other half but apparently all-American, are forever linked in sisterhood. When
Olivia is five and Kwam 17 years old, they meet. A deathbed promise, extracted by their father, means that Olivia's American mother goes through international hoops to bring his Chinese daughter to live with the family in California. There are two brothers there, but it is Olivia, who Kwam calls Libby ah, to whom Kwam is linked and who she adores and cares for. The caring is mostly mothering, as Olivia's mother first finds a new husband and then a series of 'exotic' boyfriends, being more involved with her own happiness than that of her daughter's.
Though the younger girl finds her half-sister irksome and strange, especially as Kwam has what she calls 'yin eyes', meaning she sees and talks with ghosts as if this were the most natural thing in the world, they are bound together forever. When Olivia tells the adults of Kwam's strangeness, sadly Kwam is put into a mental facility and given electric shock therapy. The guilt experienced by the child prevents her ever telling again and Kwam never ever holds the incarceration against Libby ah. Instead, her
love continues unabated.
As their lives progress in modern day America, frequent past events in China are relayed by Kwam. There is much evidence that the Karmic Wheel is in motion, as it appears that the two were bound together in love and sisterhood in an earlier
life. There are hints that Olivia too has 'yin eyes' but fears to acknowledge these secret senses.
The story moves seamlessly between China and California, past and present, new and old souls featuring widely. The detail of everyday life is examined and explored. The dead and living come together as Kwam and Libby ah live the present and visit the past.
Olivia is often unkind and annoyed where Kwam is concerned, while Kwam's love and devotion never wavers. In particular, when Olivia's marriage is failing, Kwam is convinced she can bring them back together, believing that these two are soulmates. Olivia's husband Simon, part Hawian, reflects the lover in the stories of Miss Banner and Nunumu, i.e. Olivia and Kwam.
Simon and Olivia have a commission to visit China, she as a photographer and he the writer of a cookery book. Kwam sees this as Fate, she wants them all three to go back to her home. Despite Olivia's refusal to go, Kwam orders tickets, telling Olivia who wants to change back to her Chinese name, to wait to do that until after they visit and get some answers. It transpires that their father had taken another's identity and fled to America to escape the Communists. Kwam rightly says that to find out the right name, they need to talk to her aunt back in Changmian.
All three travel there, this is the site of the previous tragedies, relayed in the ghost stories which Olivia has grown up with. The old friends of Kwam take them to their hearts, but old auntie is killed. In fact, the three travellers witnessed the bus crash in which she died, on their way to the village.
Here, Simon becomes lost in the caves, which Kwam/Nunumu had taken him to for safety from the Manchus, in that earlier life when he was Yiban Saunders, the lover of Miss Banner. She blames herself for his death, as she was unable to lie enough to prevent him going back to save Miss Banner. Simon is missing all night and Olivia realizes she still has strong feelings for him. The following day, Kwam insists on going alone to search for him in the caves. She never returns. The village is inundated with police, media, geologists and becomes manic and spoiled. Locals charge visitors to go to the caves and sell coins as ancient artifacts. Neither Simon nor Olivia can stand it and return home, having brought Kwam's husband George and his cousin Virgie over. Kwam is declared dead.
Olivia has been childless, it seemed that Simon was infertile. But nine months after she returns, a baby girlyears later, though she and Simon are not together they share the joy and love of their daughter Samantha. Olivia reflects on what Kwam has given her and taught her about life. She believes she has been shown the value, vastness and timelessness of real love, which can encompass many worlds. To believe in ghosts is to know that love never dies and that those who have died are still with us, where we can only find them by using the secret senses we keep so well hidden.