Distraught after her grandmother Nora's death, Pearl scatters her ashes in the places Nora loved. As she retraces her grandmother's last journey, she recovers a series of handmade dolls that have been handed down in the family for generations. Hidden within each is a tiny note from grandmother to granddaughter. Together, these dolls and the messages they carry lead Pearl to recall and recount tales given to her as a child. It is these stories, ranging from the semi-mythic past to the present, that enable Pearl to see her life and her struggles against the larger scale of human survival, dislocation, war, and immigration as well as love and responsibility to the future. Pearl's mysterious gift of communication ultimately allies her with the survival of another species and also provides the key to unlocking love and happiness for herself.

The Unfinished World is a timely reminder that second chances are possible, as are deep and fundamental connections with the natural world.