This memoir is about the relationship between a mother, Lillan, who is the wife of a diplomat, and her only child, Eva. At its heart is the daughter's attempt to comprehend what her mother meant by her oft-repeated warning, "never marry a diplomat". While enjoying the privileges of the diplomatic life, having maids and travelling to different countries, Eva found living in foreign countries for extended periods had negative effects on them both, which are gradually revealed. Lillan had to give up a career of her own. Through growing up in Sweden and the United States, Eva adopted a dual persona, with the American one becoming dominant. This eventually led to her marrying someone from the other side of the planet, and a life-long separation from her mother. Lillan wondered what would have happened if her husband had chosen a career other than diplomacy, which would have kept the family together in one place. Would their lives have taken a completely different path?
