The relationship between Cora and Leni constitutes the center of the narrative. The strength of the mother-daughter bond surpasses all other considerations. Ernt’s absence during the war makes Cora and Leni rely on each other. Once he returns, his volatility and the isolation he enforces leads them to become each other’s source of support. As the new girl in a small Alaskan town, Leni’s main confidant is her mother. Leni returns this same support to her mother when they first move to Alaska. Leni senses that the pressure to survive overwhelms her mother. More than her confidant, Leni becomes her mother’s protector. More than once Leni intervenes to allay Ernt’s anger to the point of interposing herself between her parents.

Leni’s coming of age and Ernt’s abuse complicates this bond. As Leni falls in love and yearns for her freedom, she comes to resent her mother’s dependence on her father, as if her mother were a hostage. At the same time, Leni’s bond with her mother is stronger than her resentment. She continuously pushes her mother to leave Ernt out of concern for her life once his violence intensifies. After Cora sends Leni to hide from Ernt, Leni decides she cannot leave her mother and returns for her.