The book follows the story of Raman, a musician, as told by his friend Janina, set primarily in the Belarusian cities of Mahilyow and Minsk (referred to as Mensk in the novel). The narrative opens with Janina discovering that Raman has died from an overdose, splitting into two timelines: "Before" and "After" his death. In the "Before" timeline, we see Janina’s journey into the Belarusian music scene and the world of drugs through her friendship with Raman, as her desperate attempts to save him from addiction leave her trapped in a toxic cycle. The "After" timeline captures Janina's emotional struggle, grappling with her grief, guilt, and efforts to rebuild her sense of self after losing both Raman and her own identity. At its core, the novel explores Janina’s search for excitement in a mundane life, where the escape Raman and drugs offer comes at a price she cannot bear, revealing a story of addiction, self-destruction, and the painful path to self-recovery.