Isobel Sivulka is a gifted graduate student. Though her academic and personal lives seem perfect, she feels directionless. Making the first rash decision of her life, she heads to Iceland, where a much-revered high school mentor once embarked on her own spiritual path. In the very welcoming city of Reykjavik, Isobel eventually discovers herself, bonding with a circle of strong, centred women and embarking on a tumultuous affair with a charming but deeply troubled man. In a culture completely different from her own, this accomplished young woman must finally embrace what it means to be young and gifted, while coming to terms with life and love.