Summary

The novel opens with an email from a 22 year old man named Maurice, sent to Grace Winters, his former math teacher. He bumped into another teacher from school who informed him that Grace had moved to Spain and gave him her email address. Maurice reveals that his mom died recently and it has been difficult to take care of his sister in the aftermath. He complains that he feels like the path of his life has already been decided on and there is nothing he can now do to change it.

The opening email is followed by a reply to Maurice from Grace. She tells him that something has happened to her recently that has changed the way she sees the world and she thinks telling her story to Maurice might help him feel a sense of purpose again. The...