1898: Olga Alexeyevna, a young Russian noblewoman, follows her husband into political exile in Siberia, accompanied by her two young children and her conventional Mama.

Faced with homesickness, hardship and isolation in a tiny village on the edge of the steppe, she comes to question her values, her marriage and Dmitri's authority.

She finds herself responsible for the family's welfare, and Dmitri's rashness leads her to face challenges, losses and loves that change her forever.

Meanwhile, she learns much about her peasant neighbors and their lives in Russia both under serfdom and after emancipation. She also learns of the harsh Russian prison and exile system.

The local Orthodox priest helps with this, as does the regional doctor and his assistant.