The dark novel tells the confession of a painter to his shadow, which has the outline of an owl. He shares with it his nightmares, in which he confronts death and its effects on life. The book was published in 1936 during the reign of Reza Shah in a limited edition in Mumbai, where Hedayat was staying at the time. After Reza Shah's abdication in 1941, the novel was released in Iran and immediately resonated strongly with readers.