A sweeping Second World War novel about two sisters and the prisoner-of-war whose life will entwine with theirs, inspired by a true story
Orkney, 1940. On a remote island, a prisoner-of-war camp is constructed to house five hundred Italian soldiers, where a freezing winter and divided community await them.
Orphaned sisters Dorothy and Constance volunteer to nurse the men. Dot is drawn to Cesare, a young man fighting on the wrong side, broken by war and destruction.
The soldiers spend their days building a secret barricade between the islands. By night, however, they construct a reminder of their native land - an exquisite chapel.
As tensions between the islanders and outsiders grow, the sisters' loyalty is tested. Will Dot choose love, or family?