In a tiny settlement on the west coast of Greenland, Shepard's harrowing and deeply moving story follows 11-year-old Aleq, one of the few survivors of the initial outbreak of an epidemic, through his identification and radical isolation as the likely index patient. Jeannine, an epidemiologist and daughter of Algerian immigrants, and Danice, an M.D. and lab wonk, attempt to head off the cataclysm, with Jeannine moving from the Greenland hospital to do what she can for Aleq. Both a chamber piece of multiple intimate perspectives and a more omniscient glimpse into the megastructures (political, cultural, and biological) that inform such a disaster, the novel reminds us of the crucial bonds that form in the midst of catastrophe, as a child and several hypereducated adults learn what it means to provide adequate support for those they love.