In the middle of the night, Jonny finds himself in an almost deserted part of the city with little but a hangover to remind him how he got there. He encounters Sophie, whose confusion stems from her advanced age. Because they need one another for entirely different reasons, Jonny takes refuge in Sophie's place. Midst the daily chaos of Sophie's existence, he begins to confront some realities of his sister's earlier death. The technical brilliance of Mahy's earlier fiction shines in this wholly original novel: superior characterizations, effective dialogue, subtle uses of imagery, and judiciously interwoven elements of romance and of wit. Set in New Zealand, some contemporary societal concerns are apparent for readers to consider or overlook, just as in life. The life insights realized by Mahy's characters emerge no more easily or less authentically than in reality. (Age 14-adult)