The collection unites the author's landmark works dedicated to the most important period in a person's life — the time of growing up and moral self-determination. The world of adults is shown through the prism of a child's, still naive perception, full of anxieties, hopes and sincere questions. The formation of the child's, teenager's, young man's soul occurs through the hard lessons of confronting reality, experiencing injustice and choosing mercy.
Each of the stories — is a moving tale of kindness and self-sacrifice, an attempt to find meaning in what is happening, about the realization of responsibility for one's actions, for one's words — spoken or unspoken.
Rasputin's prose — are true "lessons of conscience," making simple, plot-wise private stories powerful humanistic statements.
It allows one to understand the value of sincere feelings and teaches empathy, which remains with a person for a lifetime.