Here we meet Tambudzai, living in a youth hostel in downtown Harare after leaving a stagnant job. Proud, and yearning for success, Tambu attempts to make a new life for herself - but at every turn, she is faced with a fresh humiliation, until the contrast between the future she imagined and her daily reality ultimately drives her to a breaking point. In this tense and psychologically charged novel, Tsitsi Dangarembga channels the hope and potential of one young girl and a fledgling nation to lead us on a journey to discover where lives go after hope has departed.