A unique and captivating novel. After finding an old book of poems in a shelled-out house in Ukraine, Mike returns to Virginia and encounters a homeless woman who seems to possess mystical powers. She asks him to intervene in the lives of three new Americans with a disturbing secret, connected by the same verse he discovered during the war. This darkly humorous and uplifting fable explores the American tradition of reinventing oneself, and the power of human connection.

A captivating novel that explores the human experience with depth and humor. The story is well-crafted, with a unique and intriguing premise that kept me engaged from beginning to end. The characters are complex and relatable, and the themes of self-discovery and human connection are explored with nuance and insight.