Book 1: The Garden; Chapters 1-5 Summary

Chapter 1, To Seek His Fortune, introduces James Piper, who grew up on Cape Breton Island, the only child of a shoemaker. When James turns fifteen years old, he rebuilds his mother's piano after his father leaves. As a result of this experience, James becomes a piano tuner. He relocates to Sydney, the only city on Cape Breton Island, to find work. He turns down manual labor, knowing he can do better. Eventually he will earn enough money to buy a nice house and have a family.

In Chapter 2, His Left Eye, James meets the twelve-year-old Materia Mahmoud when he visits her family's home to tune their piano. Materia's mother reads his fortune in tea leaves. On New Year's Eve in 1898, Materia gets James' attention by hitting a key on the piano. They make plans to...