Ruth and her cousin Naomi live in rural Wisconsin, part of an isolated religious community. The girls' lives are ruled by the rhythms of nature — the harsh winters, the hunting seasons, the harvesting of crops — and by their families' beliefs. Beneath the surface of this closed, frozen world, hidden dangers lurk. Then Ruth learns that Naomi searches for solace in the mysteries of the natural world: broken fawns, migrating birds, and the strange fish deep beneath the ice. At once devastating and beautiful, and ultimately transcendent, this is a story of lost innocence and the unfailing bond between two young women.