Borya Shustov is not quite human. From childhood he knows he will have to suffer, endure, and die for the world to become a little bit better. He knows that he and people like him are needed to prevent disasters on the planet—and the price of this ability is too high.
Borya’s mother died early—but she remained in him, and in his father. Literally too.
Borya’s father honestly tries to do his duty, but he is also not quite human, and his duty goes somewhat beyond human bounds.
Borya thinks he has a choice. He thinks he can live separately, and the world separately.
This is a story about monsters. About a family—whatever it is—and about life—whatever it is.