Pria is a world so perfect, its people have never known hunger, illness, physical pain, or even death. They comprehend these things only through the chilling reminders of Father Sampson, their beloved Creator, who experienced them himself in a more savage world. Beauty is the privilege of every person, both to have and to see—that is, until Alina is born. As she grows up and endures the isolation of being different, Alina observes a paradox around her. Women are flawless, yet always trying to look better; men constantly entertained, but never fulfilled; Father Sampson is worshipped, yet feared by all—except Jade, Alina’s guardian and the one person she loves in the world. Alina then learns there is more to the history of Pria than what she's taught in school, and to Carthem, the mysterious place where dissenters are sent. As the truth surrounding her birth is revealed, Alina finds herself at the heart of a dangerous conspiracy, with the fate of two worlds in her hands.