Talented Army Dupuis has earned admission into a prestigious art college. But before he can graduate high school, golden-haired Liesel Vandt appears in his life, attracting him with her beauty and mystery. When she inserts herself deeper into his family life, he grows uncomfortable and breaks up with her. Eager to launch his career as a painter, Army goes off to college and loves his new, art-centered life.
The source of Army's talent is his mother, Marlene, who also studied to be a painter. But having battled bipolar disorder and a crushing relationship with her mother for most of her life, she has never produced any work. Struggling to emerge from depression, guilt, and the strain they've had on her marriage and family, Marlene becomes friends with no-nonsense Gwen Thomas. With Gwen's help, she revives her spirits and begins to paint, gaining respect for herself and from others.
Army's father, Armand Dupuis, is a devout catholic and the controller at a manufacturing firm. His self-discipline and devotion have held his family together despite the constant challenges of his wife's disorder. He longs for a peaceful life and a small boat for fishing near their maritime hometown of Quitticas, Massachusetts. And he faces a secret that drives him to the confessional.
As Marlene's painting takes on new energy, she unearths a life-changing revelation that strains her marriage. Armand finally buys a boat, but a new calamity at work turns his life upside down. Army presses on with the thrill of his artistic studies, but he cannot shake Liesel Vandt. As Liesel's dark plans take shape, she becomes the epicenter of an escalating crisis for the entire family.
Army, Marlene and Armand struggle to discern wrong from right and crazy from sane as their lives move in directions they never intended.