The novel follows life in a mountain community where strict religious authority clashes with local customs and personal desires. It traces the spiritual awakening and moral education of David Joslin amid family tensions, social gatherings, rival clans, and encounters with figures such as Marcia Haddon and Polly Pendleton. Episodes range from household scenes and sermons to frolics, revelations, and confrontations with outsiders, exploring themes of conscience, tradition versus change, and the search for a different path. The narrative unfolds in four books that map communal dynamics, personal growth, and contested notions of duty and escape.