How could a mother forget? How could a mother leave her child behind? William Eng, a Chinese - American boy, has lived at Seattle's Sacred Heart Orphanage for five long years. Ever since his mother's listless body was carried from their Chinatown apartment, William has been wondering what happened to her. So when, during a trip to the movie theatre, William glimpses an actress on the silver screen, he is immediately struck by her features. Because Willow Frost is many things - a singer, a dancer, a movie star - but most of all, William is convinced, she is his mother. Determined to find her, William attempts to confront the mysteries of his past and his connection to the exotic film star. But the story of Willow Frost is far more complicated than any Hollywood fantasy ...