Painting an unforgettable portrait of the grand and petty motivations of the human heart, this poignant novel tells the story of Father Samuel Whiting, who simply exists, asleep in his own life, adrift in a loneliness of his own creation. When a circus comes to town and his self-imposed isolation is shattered, he gradually awakens to a world of possibility, embarking on a journey of discovery through the uncharted terrain of his own heart. Whiting's tale is one of insecurity and false hopes, of self-absorption and self-denial, and of reaching out and falling short. Finally blinded by self-delusion and at the brink of despair, a challenge to serve will change everything he believes about the true cost of love.