Eighteenth century priest, Father Furio Novia, hates his employer, the Archbishop of Modena; almost as much as he hates Italian master sculptor, Antonio Lisi. When Novia discovers that Lisi uses his beautiful daughter’s likeness in nearly every figure he carves, the priest realizes he can make accusations to the Archbishop that the sculptor has an incestuous knowledge of his daughter, Anoria. Novia begins to haunt their lives, and every family in their village of Resceto, Italy, not because he believes they have sinned, but because he desires Anoria for himself.

For two years their lives twined around one another’s, destined to clash in Rome; Novia, committing murder to stay free of the church; Anoria, nearly killing him to escape his lust.

What Antonio Lisi does not know: his daughter possesses a talent to carve marble, the equal to which has not been seen in Italy for nearly two hundred years.