At the end of 1799, Jacob de Zoet left for the island of Decima. It is the furthest trading post from the voc in Japan, which is further cut off from the world. As a young clerk, he must prove the corruption of the previous chief. This does not go down well with his compatriots who also got their share, but it brings him the friendship of a Japanese interpreter. De Zoet falls under the spell of Orito, a Japanese midwife who, as a thank you for saving a baby, is allowed to study with the Dutch doctor Marinus at Decima. Carried away by love and work, De Zoet does not see through the betrayal of the man he trusts most and the imminent consequences. Deceit and trust, love and lust, guilt and faith, cold-blooded murder and miraculous immortality play a role in this fantastic novel.