Western Tibet Border

The western border of Tibet and Nepal is home to all four of the protagonists. When Lhamo and Tenkyi are children, they reside in a village in this region with their parents. In 1960, the region is invaded by the Chinese, or soldiers who call themselves the People's Liberation Army. The soldiers, or Gyami, move from village to village, destroying the Tibetan people's homes, seizing their farms, and starving the residents. When Lhamo and Tenkyi's family hears of the Gyami's invasions, they decide to flee their home for Nepal. Although the girls have yet to meet Samphel, he and his family are displaced at the same time. Before departing, the characters and their families bury their most valuable possessions in the earth, hopeful that they will be able to return to their homes once the war is over.

In the final section of the novel, "Self," Dolma...