Young Attica lives on the Burning Star, a huge ship that drifts lazily through the sea. Her father is the captain and the crew are her friends. She is quick-witted, funny, and loves learning about the world through her father's stories and the books he brings her from land. Soon, Attica's life comes to a screeching halt when a mysterious crew board her ship and she starts to uncover hidden memories about her mother and a strange boy named Hesiod.