February 28th, 1947, the opening day of the novel, marked the beginning of an anti-government uprising in Taiwan, which was violently suppressed by the KMT-led Republic of China government. In the years following, 10,000 to 30,000 Taiwanese vanished, died, or were imprisoned. With a Fulbright scholarship, the author Ryan traveled to her mothers native Taiwan, learned the language, and delved into her family history. The depth of her research and her emotional ties to the subject are evident on every page. Green Island is absolutely unique in its premise never before has the 2-28 Incident been covered in the world of fiction.

Trapped inside their home due to an uprising that has rocked Taipei, Dr. Tsai delivers his youngest daughter, the narrator of Green Island. A few days later, he is one of the many thousands of people dragged away from their families. Missing for a decade, he eventually returns a haunted man. Feeling a stranger in the midst of his family, he unwittingly brings his youngest daughter into an uneasy political scene where neighbors are set against neighbors to survive. Eventually, she makes her way to California, a married woman, but her past and history follow her. She is ultimately forced to decide between what is right and what might save her family . . . a choice she witnessed her father make many years before.