Batavia, Dutch East Indies, 1942. Emmy has the voice of an angel but hasn't sung a note since her mother's tragic death. Instead, Emmy's primary concerns are to enjoy adventures with her Javanese friend, Bakti; to avoid interacting with her snooty Dutch classmate, Violet; and to convince her father to let her stay in Batavia instead of shipping her off to singing school in England. Then the Japanese army invades Batavia--and as war erupts in the Dutch East Indies, Emmy's world falls apart. When her own actions sabotage her family's chance to evacuate the island, Emmy is captured and confined in the Tjideng prisoner-of-war camp with other women and children. Separated from her family and friends, and silenced by her grief, Emmy will need all her strength to survive the war, find her voice, and reclaim her freedom.