In the harsh and wild Highlands, there live men who possess a gift. It has been passed down through the generations, by heredity, since as long as anyone can remember. They are wonderful gifts, which allow one to summon animals and change landscapes... But they are also terrible, because they can cloud minds or inflict diseases.
Orrec belongs to the Caspromant family, as famous as they are feared for the gift of decay: a destructive power, capable of annihilating anything or anyone, with the mere imposition of a gaze. At the age of thirteen, however, the young man still struggles to manifest it. Until one day, suddenly, Orrec devastates an entire hill without wanting to, and takes the bitter decision to blindfold himself forever, for fear of causing harm to what he loves most, such as the sweet Gry, a childhood companion and perhaps his future wife, also gifted with a powerful and magnificent gift.
Rebelling against their destinies, the two young people will face the challenges of life together, to go in search of themselves and their place in the world. An extraordinary story, from the unique pen of Ursula K. Le Guin, on the fierce cruelty of power, on how difficult it is to grow up and how even more difficult it is to find, in the darkness of the world, gifts of light. Recommended reading age: from 12 years.