Everybody knows everyone in this dreary village at the end of the civilised world. The atmosphere in Utmark is, to put it mildly, curious, and its inhabitants uncouth. New arrivals are most definitely not welcomed with open arms. When an optimistic, but clueless teacher moves to town, hoping for a carefree life in picturesque surroundings, she can’t help but notice that the only person who seems even remotely normal is a 12-year-old girl. An aggrieved pimp, a nature-loving bootlegger, a pastor who hates God, and a corrupt deputy sheriff are just a few of the range of village people who make her new life difficult. And they do it without even trying. Roughshod and bent is simply who they are. But there is, in fact, a lovable character behind each of those tough and quirky facades in this place somewhere in the middle of the Norwegian nowhere.