In her sparkling, startling novel about mothers, daughters, and love, Judy Budnitz gives the traditional folktale an electrifying twist as she follows four generations of women from an Eastern European village to the tenements of an American city. Ilana, eager to escape her formidable mother's all consuming love, embarks on an epic journey to the New World, met along the way by evil, magic, and good fortune. The daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter who follow in her footsteps share her special powers of observation and, often, destruction. The result is a family saga unlike any other: a hilarious, heartbreaking story of family ties that bind. With dazzling imagination and spell-binding storytelling, Judy Budnitz confirms her status as one of her generations most talented and original voices.