Lev is a seeker of happiness: He has come to London to provide his family with a better life. Feeling foreign and lonely, he reflects on his young wife Marina, who passed away too soon, his little daughter Maya, and the crazy experiences with his friend Rudi. Yet Lev is determined to fight for a future: He discovers an unexpected talent, finds friends, and even a new love. Powerful and clear, full of humanity, warmth, and liberating humor, Rose Tremain tells the story of someone who must accept that with every new beginning, something is left behind.