<p>An idyllic childhood takes a sinister turn. Rumors of a serial killer haunt the neighborhood families pack up and leave town without a word of warning and the country begins to unravel. Policemen stand by as protesters overtake the streets knowing that the once awe-inspiring symbols of power they wear on their helmets have become devoid of meaning. Lebedev depicts a vast empire coming apart at the seams transforming a very public moment into something tender and personal and writes with stunning beauty and shattering insight about childhood and the growing consciousness of a boy in the world.</p>