The novel opens on a tense winter evening in Tehran. Sepi is studying by candlelight during a blackout when she hears shouting outside. From her window, she sees her best friend, Laleh, being dragged into a van by the Revolutionary Guard. Laleh's panicked eyes meet Sepi's just before the van speeds away. Moments later, Sepi's mother bursts into her room, whispering urgently that they need to burn any letters, books, or photos that could link them to dissenters. The guards are raiding homes nearby. The suffocating fear sets the tone for the journey ahead.