In 1942 war-torn Poland, a Jewish family is murdered by the Nazis and Ukrainians, but fifteen year old Hannah Gould miraculously escapes. Alone and desperate, Hannah ultimately makes her way to a group of Jewish and Russian partisans between Poland and Russia. She is transformed from an innocent, sheltered Jewish girl from Warsaw to a cold killer in the forests of Belorussia. She meets kind strangers and sadistic enemies on her journey to discovering who she is. Her romantic encounter with a handsome Russian officer gives her hope for the future. But as the German noose is tightening, Hannah makes a daring move to save her group from sure death. Finally, the big Russian counter-offensive to drive the Germans back to Berlin is on. Hannah is mentally exhausted with nagging grief, even unable to cry. She joins the army advance, but struggles with what to do next.
