An ageless and formless creature tells the reader that he’s going to visit an Author, but a strange mishap occurs during its birth into the human world. Instead of taking human form, it’s born as a cat, and it struggles to connect with The Office for guidance. The story weaves between two timelines: 1917 Finland and the 2020s.
In 1917 Finland, the cat observes Eeva, an orphaned outcast in love with Mahte, a local boy. It turns out that these two are the author’s ancestors, and they are living in a turbulent time on the eve of the Finnish civil war and independence. Mahte is sent off to Russia, leaving Eeva to face the wrath of Mahte’s jealous and cruel mother.
In the 2020s, the cat witnesses the author’s struggles, particularly a miscarriage, which her partner strangely deems as a good thing. The author is torn between her desire for children and her longing for an independent artistic life, leading to a creative block.
The cat moves between the two timelines, following Eeva’s journey through her diary as she experiences a traumatic incident and the author, who’s ignoring warning signs in her relationship with a married publishing executive. The cat realizes that the author needs to connect with her roots by visiting the island where Eeva and Mahte once lived.
Although the cat tricks the author into going to the island, the author disappointingly doesn’t delve into her family history as expected. She only writes a novel there and then burns the pages, leaving the cat frustrated.
In 1917, Eeva informs Mahte about her miscarriage, a result of a rape, which he wasn’t aware of due to his mother hiding his letters. Eeva eventually has Mahte’s child, and the cat observes the transformation that parenthood brings to humans.
In the 2020s, the author faces professional and personal turmoil, being accused of plagiarism and her publisher threatening to sue her. She recalls how her pregnancy by the publishing executive could have changed her life, but he accused her of trying to ruin him. The author’s novel is published without her approval, leading to a critical failure. The cat worries about her well-being and suspects a suicide attempt.
The cat remains alone on the island for years in 1939 as Eeva and Mahte disappear on the eve of World War II. Eeva’s diary documents the war years, and the cat hides during this tumultuous time.
In 1945, Eeva returns to her ruined home. Her son, who fought against the Nazis and lost his leg, arrives with weapons. Daughter Tytti shows up with her German boyfriend, Laurimus, causing concern for Eeva. Tytti’s life choices reflect the limited agency women had at the time. Eventually, Tytti’s husband’s abusive behavior forces the family to confront him.
The author arrives on the island and is surprised that she can understand the cat. She acknowledges her avoidance of her family’s troubled history and finds herself immersed in a remote environment without internet access. She sees a connection between her great-granddad’s painting and Picasso’s Guernica.
In 1953, Laurimus’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and he ultimately burns down the house and takes his own life in the barn. The author contemplates writing a revenge novel about her betrayal by the publishing executive, but the cat disapproves.
The author and the cat share an encounter with a terrifying horse, which ends with the author removing a foreign object from its nostril. This act seems to lift a curse.
The author finds herself in another time, where she meets Eeva, who advises her to move forward despite unworthy men. The author returns to the present day feeling more connected to her ancestors and history, inspired to write again.
The story concludes with the cat receiving a call from the author, who’s hospitalized in a distant land and shares her experiences of guilt and missed opportunities. The cat’s transformation into a pure being is imminent, but it wishes to stay with the author. The cat leads the author to discover Eeva’s journals, providing insight into her life. The cat becomes increasingly ill, and the author begins to care for it.
As the cat’s essence fades into the Brightness, it sees the author’s deceased daughter within it and suggests the child will be reborn as something else. The cat fades away, and the story concludes with the being losing interest in the author’s fate.