MakaTo lives with his mother on the outskirts of Duluth, Minnesota. There the boy endures his mother's peculiar mixture of abuse, unaware of her motivation.
At school, MakaTo meets Ethan, a counselor who attempts to guide the troubled young man toward a peaceful life. Too na?ve to understand the older man's guidance, MakaTo chooses to pursue worldly power-a path that brings him to dangerous places.
When a tragedy leads to his imprisonment, MakaTo realizes he must atone for his acts, a noble decision that nonetheless has terrible consequences for those he loves.