Georgia in the aftermath of the American Civil War: Two brothers, recently freed from slavery and completely destitute, find work on the small farm of a liberal couple mourning their son who fell in the war. A delicate friendship gradually develops among the four, a bond previously thought impossible. However, not all residents of the nearby town of Old Ox welcome such novel alliances. It isn't long before fear of the new world order erupts into blind rage - with devastating consequences. A novel full of beauty and horror that evokes the dramatic era following the end of slavery. As captivating as it is moving, grandly composed and linguistically brilliant - a stunning epic.