1893. After a harrowing journey recent college graduate Leon Tolinchinsky arrives in Kulyenchikov Ukraine to tutor Sophia Zubritsky nineteen. Her parents Nickolai and Leyna inform him the village is cursed rendering every resident as dumb as a bag of rocks. Leon must educate Sofia in twenty-four hours or fall victim to the curse himself though teaching her her parents or anyone else about anything is just about impossible. To complicate matters Leon and Sofia fall in love