Set in a near-future theocratic state, the narrative follows a woman assigned to a mandated reproductive role within tightly policed households.

Spanning several generations of a single family, the book traces how private lives, inherited memories, and supernatural intimations intersect with broader political upheaval. The central pressure comes from how family loyalties and personal histories respond to changing social orders and accumulating loss.

Set in a far-future, quasi-medieval city, the novel follows Severian, an apprentice in a torturers' guild, whose expulsion forces him to leave his home and travel into a decaying world.