Nico has gone to Cambridge, not only to study but also to escape a difficult family situation. There, he meets Pierre, an admirable Parisian who rows for the university, and Ella, a disturbingly beautiful Dane who holds a secret that will change their lives. As they journey to Rome, Amsterdam, Paris, and Africa, the burdens they encounter will challenge the bonds of their friendship. With a plain, lyrical style, David de Juan Marcos analyzes motherhood, tangled family relationships, the burden of losing a loved one, and the inexplicable force of friendship.