Isidore Mazal has just reached adolescence, is the youngest of six siblings, and lives in a small French village. His siblings are geniuses: doctors, musicians, and novelists in the making. Isidore is not a genius, but he perceives how his family members cope with pain and he is probably the only one able to help. His splendid empathy, combined with a profound fury, creates a story of melancholy and humor that reaches a heart-wrenching end.