Petal Wolffe has something to celebrate: she’s successfully completed her PhD. But her celebrations are interrupted by a crisis involving her twin sister, Rose. Petal rushes home to Toronto, part concerned about her sister’s well-being, and part annoyed: Rose always did have a way of stealing the spotlight.

Untethered tells the story of Rose and Petal’s lives, from their childhood and a teenage adventure abroad, to their diverging paths as free-spirited Rose becomes enraptured with the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community while Petal, burdened by responsibility, plunges into clinical depression that manifests itself in self-destructive behaviour.

Petal finds refuge on a kibbutz, turns her life around, and returns to her schooling. Rose marries a man Petal deems unworthy.

Untethered provides context and insights into orthodoxy, post-war experience, mental illness, generational trauma, and grief while laying the foundations for understanding and a path toward healing.