Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk ingeniously brings to life a Polish village where residents try to survive the effects of two world wars, communism, and the advent of modernity. Several generations of villagers start families, build houses, and try to resist the violence of history and nature as best they can. Birth, growth, decay, and death affect all creatures - trees, spirits, and animals in addition to humans - and are described with compassion and gentleness. Tokarczuk shows that every human being is completely unique, searching for meaning and purpose.