"Fleeing the fires of her war-torn homeland, a young woman travels to the New World in search of gold to rebuild her life. In this strange, lawless land, Joana encounters friends (the kind Native women Tala and Opa), foes (the cruel gold hunter Matwei and his men), and an unexpected traveling companion who may just be her good luck charm - and amidst the icy reaches of the wilderness, a fearsome fantastical beast lurks in the shadows"--.
