Sent to Prague to stay with her aunt and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez-a biracial Jewish girl-finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents' desire for her to have a more stable career. But her visit takes a strange turn when she discovers an abandoned Jewish cemetery behind her aunt's cottage. There, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, and as she works on restoring his grave, catches the interest of the river spirit that's binding him to the city. Inspired by the author's experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in eastern Europe, R. M. Romero spins a modern folktale about embracing your power, facing your monsters, and falling in love deep enough to transcend a century.