A novel about Cem, a teenager in 1980s Turkey whose father has left. To earn money he becomes an apprentice to a well-digger, Master Mahmut, and the two dig for water on dry land outside Istanbul. During this time Cem is drawn to a red-haired woman who performs in a travelling theater.
The story later follows Cem through adult life and takes up themes of fathers and sons, guilt, fate and authority, echoing ancient Persian and Greek tales. It is a compact, reflective novel about how early choices shape a life.