Anthony Doerr

A blind man works as a conchology scholar. One day, a female painter, Izumi, appears in front of the blind scholar. The woman suffers from a rare disease. The scholar is able to treat the woman's disease by using poisons from certain shells. Word of the miraculous treatment spreads and more people gather on Koto Island to receive treatment. The scholar's peaceful days are thrown into chaos. (asianwiki.com)