The imaginary country of Luscano, an amalgam of Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile, is vibrantly brought to life with a nod to the region’s literary tradition of magic realism.

After 12 years in exile, Alma Alvarez has been persuaded to return to Luscano by an old friend to give a lecture at his university on the tragic Uruguayan poet Delmira Agustini, a writer with a cultish following, known for her erotic poetry and film noir demise. Having herself been arrested after the publication of a poem that offended the military regime, Alma knows how influential and dangerous poetry can be. With her mother on her deathbed, Alma’s return feels inevitable, and she immediately discovers that life in Luscano is still rife with secrecy and duplicity. She soon catches sight of the man whose actions prompted her exile and begins to follow him in secret.