After the death of his wife, astrobiologist Theodore Bern dedicates himself to his nine-year-old son Robin, who is on the autism spectrum and influenced by his mother's environmental concerns. Bern, to support his son, resorts to new experimental methods, leading both of their lives into extreme situations.

Drawing on references to political events and elements of science fiction, Richard Powers (born Illinois 1957, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for Fiction USA) weaves a story that is "scientifically grounded, yet deeply moving" (The Guardian), which "captures the mind and heart of the reader" (The Economist).