Two women—worlds apart in their circumstances—struggle to come to terms with their respective pasts. Neither is able to move beyond the deep-seated pain they experienced as children, which torments them and robs them of their lives in the present.

Monika is a successful doctor, on the verge of a breathtaking romance. She punishes herself endlessly for an error in judgment—in the face of terror and death—at the age of 15. As a result, she lives with shame and regret and routinely sacrifices her own needs. Now that she has met a wonderful man, will she allow the romance to blossom and finally enjoy the abundant pleasure of loving and being loved?

Maj-Britt is obese and hasn't left her apartment in years. She is filled with an unshakeable sense of self-loathing and won't allow anyone near her. She has recently been feeling physically ill and has become dependent on others to buy her supplies, clean for her, and take her dog for a walk. But she remains stubbornly aloof. As soon as her helpers take an interest in her personally, she becomes offensive and uses her bulk to disgust and repel them.

Alvtegen is an award-winning novelist, adept at getting into people's heads. She brings many questions to the fore. In this novel, she shows the deep impact parents have on their children, in both positive and negative ways. There are these two damaged women, but there is also a delightful character in the book who has been loved all her life, and is able to extend that love and kindness to others unconditionally.

We also meet an interesting woman, a murderer, confined to a maximum security prison for life. Hers is a compelling story. Vanja has been in imprisoned for sixteen years, and Maj-Britt has voluntarily locked herself away for thirty-two years: "She hadn't been near a gravel path. Or a forest. And if the wind was blowing a little she would close the balcony door. She had voluntarily entered her prison and thrown away the key, and, if that wasn't enough, she had let her body become the final shackle."

This novel unfailingly keeps the reader rapt. Each of the protagonists in the story makes choices, and sacrifices, based on her life experiences and worldview. But how much will people hurt and disparage themselves? And what impetus will it take to break the cycle of anguish and sacrifice, for someone to see the light and the beauty that exists in each moment, rather than endlessly drowning in darkness and torment?