As Stephen Wraysford fights in the terrifying death-filled trenches of northern France, he is haunted by memories of Isabelle Azaire, the woman with whom he had an illicit and all-consuming affair during a summer in France before the war.

As Stephen Wraysford recovers from his injuries and prepares for a major offensive, he is still haunted by the legacy of his affair with Isabelle Azaire. Amidst the horror of the trenches, Stephen unexpectedly finds comfort in his friendship with Jack Firebrace, who shows him that there is a future worth fighting for.