In 1920, deep in the New Zealand bush, a settlement of Christian fundamentalists lives a life of austerity and isolation. It is an existence that leaves little room for compassion, particularly for the women, who are viewed with suspicioun on account of "Eve's original sin." The elders lord over women, children, and young men alike, meting out punishments for transgressions as innocuous as self-reflection. Sisters Juno and Hannah have grown up in the community, but when a stranger washes up on the river bank and Hannah goes to his aid, she finds herself accused of necromancy. The girls flee but are quickly forced to accept help. Unsure of who is friend and who foe, Hannah finds herself dependent upon, and attracted to, the man she brought back to life. The sisters' breathless journey reflects the vividly portrayed New Zealand landscape with its abundance of beauty and resources, but also with scars wrought during the early days of colonization.