A dystopian novel about one woman' s efforts to preserve her humanity despite great loss. From a life of ease and comfort, Anna Blume embarks on a search for her missing brother. Soon she finds herself trapped in a city obsessed with last things- with the means and manner of death. In this culture of doom, the masses are homeless, theft has ceased to be a crime, production has ceased, and the only growth industries are dying and disassembly. As survival becomes her sole motivation, Anna takes up the occupation of scavenger, searching for objects from the past which she sells for food and shelter. In this landscape of devastation, she seeks to preserve her humanity and even some hope for the future.