A dynamic between the natural relationships of biological family and powerful connections of unrelated people brought together runs throughout the novel. Though raised by Osh since the first few hours of her life, Crow yearns to discover her biological family. She wants an explanation of why her parents put her to sea at birth and why residents of Cuttyhunk fear she may have come from Penikese. Ultimately, however, Crow’s search fails. The connections she finds to her biological family, though valuable, are only artifacts: a tattered letter, a ring, some carvings on a grave and cottage, and the treasure. The one living relative she knows about—her brother Jason—remains elusive.

However, the main goal of Crow’s quest—a desire to find her identity—is successful. The process of the search has validated the importance of the alternative kinship she has formed with Osh and Maggie.

Crow, Osh, and Maggie are a loving found family. Osh and Maggie do not simply take care of Crow; her presence in their lives gives them meaning and love. Osh withheld the tattered letter from Crow’s mother for years out of fear she might have been taken away or want to leave “because you wanted to be somewhere better than a shack on a rock in the middle of nowhere” (52).