Summary

The story opens with a prologue titled 2012. A woman is in her cottage near the lough. She wakes very early, “even before the children,” and listens to the sounds of the cottage. She discovers that the pinging she hears is the sound of seagulls dropping shells on the roof as they try to break them.

Book One of the novel opens with 1919: Cloudshadow. The chapter begins with a description of the Vickers Vimy. It's an airplane that was used as a bomber during the war but is being refitted for the first transatlantic flight. Jack Alcock and Teddy Brown were involved in flying the bombers during the war. Both had been captured. Alcock was taken captive by the Turk when hi plane was shot down. Brown was captured while he was doing photographic reconnaissance. He was shot in the leg and now walks...