The story begins in the early 1900's with a young family aboard ship headed for America. Mr. Evan's, after a redundancy in Wales decided to start anew.He and his family immigrated and settled in Pennsylvania taking work in the coalmines. Mrs. Evan's befriends a new neighbor. The bond that developes between the two women is forged strong through unfathomable sorrow that will affect each of their lives. Their healing comes from the unlikeliest source imaginable, the town outcast.