Born at the turn of the century, Mae Strickland is only a few days old when her mother dies. Her aunt Maggie brings Mae up together with her own children. In spite of Mae's unhappy start, life feels full of promise. Then, as the First World War looms, everything changes. The sisters train as field nurses and as they travel to the front line in the wake of family tragedy, nothing can prepare them for the hardship that lies ahead.