Sometimes the wonder of an ideal marriage lies not in sincerity, but in silence. When Lotto and Mathilde marry, they have known each other for only a few weeks. They are young and beautiful, completely infatuated with one another. Their happiness is almost tangible, and over the years their intimacy has grown so deep that they seem to understand each other without words. But what do they really know about each other? Does Lotto sense the anger that Mathilde hides behind her gentle smile? And what happens when a single assumption in their relationship turns out to be an illusion? Lauren Groff paints a picture of a marriage, behind the shine of which something dark gradually reveals itself.