It is 1919 and Lillian Carter is 21 years old, living in New York City, and making her living as an artists’ model under the pseudonym “Angelica.” The morning the book opens, her landlord has been arrested, and she hopes that he will go to jail so that she has extra time to earn the rent. Lillian’s mother, Kitty, died recently of the “Spanish flu” (now known as the 1918 flu pandemic), and Lillian is earning less money than she did when Kitty was in charge. The sculptor for whom she currently models is dissatisfied with the way her body has changed since her mother’s death. She has put on weight and no longer conforms to the classical ideal currently attractive to sculptors. She is also aging out of her career and has been having a difficult time finding work.

Prior to her mother’s death, Lillian, as Angelica, was a famous model for sculptors, and her likeness is now featured in sculptures all around New York City’s parks and other public spaces. She enjoys the collaborative aspect of her work and helping to create artwork that is accessible to the public. However, her current sculptor dismisses her, claiming that he needs to rethink the project.