the book series can be seen as a thorough overview of developments of estonian society from about 1870 to about 1930 it presents an epic panorama of both the rural and urban societies of that era tammsaares primary conception was that under the thenapplicable conditions reaching a harmony of both truth and justice is impossible and thus while many characters will seek it none will reach this destination when annika straum is handed a violin and told to learn how to play annika knows she is about to die in dachau concentration camp music means death prisoners are tasked with performing a concert before their own executionannika is not afraid to die annika has already lost everyone and everything she ever loved the girl with the green eyes is also about to die in the form of a stranger annika finds company annika finds a mystery and though she is dying annika learns to live