A diarist recounts an extended absence from the body during which he is believed dead, recording awakenings in a punitive afterworld, the shame that led there, and scenes of suffering and moral instruction. Between reflective digressions on death and life, he discovers unexpected companions, witnesses strange sights, experiences a love story set amid torment, and encounters a lost brother. Gradually the record moves through dreams of rest and the emergence of hope toward a depiction of blissful states. The narrative mixes personal confession, philosophy on mortality, and sermon-like meditations on sin, punishment, and possible redemption.