Summary

The prologue described Tara’s view from her home in the mountains of Idaho. She explained that she and some of her siblings did not have documentation, had never visited a doctor, nor received formal education. She described the woman in the mountain, the “Indian Princess,” that marked their home (xv). Chapter 1, “Choose the Good,” described Tara's father reading a Bible passage aloud multiple times to her family. His literal interpretation of the passage led him to cease their use of milk in the house and replaced it with honey. His mother reacted against this by stockpiling her own milk, which Tara snuck off to enjoy after her morning chores. One of these mornings, Grandma-down-the-hill offered to take Tara to Arizona to receive a formal education. The focus shifted to Tara’s fabricated memory born from one of her father’s stories. He...