Growing up in Northern California during the Great Depression, John Thornton lives a simple yet contented life, despite being acquainted with loss at a young age. The summer before his twelfth birthday, he becomes smitten when a captivating older girl moves to town. But, when an unspeakable event turns John’s rural town upside down, he is left questioning not only his faith, but also what the future holds. Years later, as the world is engulfed in the turmoil of the Second World War, John leaves behind everything he knows to train as an air gunner in the Army Air Forces. As he battles to understand his place within the war, and searches for answers to the devastation happening around him, John is forced to confront his past, his beliefs, and the depths of his resilience.