Big events in our lives and on the planet often start with something small. The author therefore puts different species of mosquitoes and her own childhood under the microscope. Scientific facts about the tiny bloodsucking creatures are mixed with personal memories in a ghostly narrative. To understand the past and prepare for the future, both require equal attention.

"Every time that you think we're now living in some final, confusing battle arena, and that it will all end badly, you then realize that nothing truly ends."