 When Ruth Matthews s husband is killed in a fall at an archaeological dig, her daughter Sally handles her father s death in a very odd manner. As Sally s condition worsens, Ruth takes her to see Jake, an expert in childhood autism. Jake attempts to bring Sally out of her mental disarray through traditional therapy methods, but Ruth takes a different route. She risks her own sanity by attempting to enter her daughter s mind and make sense of the seemingly bizarre things that Sally does, including building a wondrous house of cards.