Rose was born to a family of extraordinary women. Her immigrant great-grandmother, the first Rose, a shrewd and beautiful fortune-teller, who gave abortions to make "a little extra"...Proud Etta, matriarch, lover of costly things, who kept a fine home with a firm hand...Delicate Helen, musical prodigy, who soared on her talent into madness. Now Rose-American Rose-must face up to all their lives in order to claim her own.