Isaac, a vicar in rural England, finds his life in turmoil after the still birth of his third child in 1917. After his wife leaves him, shunned by polite society, he embarks on a spiritual and emotional journey which leads him to a new understanding of faith and of his place in a rapidly changing world. He finds new love and comes gradually to recognize the beauty and truth of nature and the sensuality he discovers with Miriam. He increasingly calls into question the existing social order and yearns for a just society, fit for the returning soldiers and his young family to live in. But as his love grows and his beliefs develop, so does a conflict with the Squire, his family and ultimately the Church. Somebody has it seriously in for him, but who? And how far will they go? This true story draws heavily on contemporary sources.