Kira is orphaned in a cruel society that shuns the weak. (Kira’s legs are lame.) Instead of being left to die in the Field of Leaving, her weaving talents are discovered and she is put to work repairing a robe, which tells of their people’s past through pictures. Kira discovers a secret about the Field of Leaving, and must decide what to do.

This book is set in the future, which surprised me because the setting seems very old. For example, only the rulers have running water. The futuristic setting and the eerie society with dark secrets reminded me a lot of The Giver. However the main character in The Giver choose to deal with the societal difficulties in different ways.