Jonathan Lewis-Adey is attempting to reconnect with his mother Sid. She left when he was 9, for an unknown reason that Jonathan learns later in life. His lesbian parents split when Sid decided to become Sydney and move away, creating a new life for (now him) himself as a man.
For nearly a decade, the two enjoy tense, difficult, but meaningful visits where Jonathan flies to Trinidad, the original homeland of his mothers each. There he attempts to understand and forgive Sydney for his abandonment of the family and his decision to become a man. There is an insightful section of a diary from Sydney's days as a woman that provide some insight, but most of the insight comes from their time together. They openly discuss romance, identity, gender, and mental health issues like self-hatred and loneliness.
Told in snapshots, the story begins by exploring Syd's past relationship with her true unrequited love, Zain who accepts him lovingly. Zain is full of life. Sydney explains why he left Canada. First there was the weather. But the weather was like a metaphor for the cold isolation of a half-formed identity. One day, Sid went into a hospital as a woman and left as Sydney. She transitioned.
Trinidad ultimately called her back, because again, Canada is cold, but also because Canadian ethics were a bit severe for someone of Sydney's complex identity. Both Trinidad and Canada have ethnic diversity which both Sydney and Jonathan enjoy.
Ultimately although the novel is technically plotless, the narrative structure of Sydney's life is one that many people can relate to, but Jonathan's story of trying to forgive his parent for mistakes that were made and for things he was too young to understand—that is universal. They comment on this especially as Sydney's life comes to an end—he has become terminally ill, and their time together will end.
