A disintegrating marriage drives a couple into the vast, indifferent expanse of the North African desert, where their search for meaning collapses under the weight of isolation. Port and Kit Moresbury attempt to salvage their relationship by abandoning the familiar structures of American life for the unpredictable terrain of Algeria. As they venture deeper into the Sahara, they encounter physical exhaustion, cultural alienation, and the erosion of their own psychological stability. The narrative employs a detached, observational framework that mirrors the characters' increasing detachment from their own lives and the world around them.

Readers and critics frequently discuss the novel's stark, unsparing prose and its ability to evoke a profound sense of existential malaise. Discussion often centers on the characters' inability to connect with one another despite their shared proximity in a foreign land. Many highlight the atmospheric quality of the desert setting, which functions as both a physical destination and a psychological trap. The work is often cited for its refusal to offer comfort or resolution, leaving the reader to contemplate the fragility of human identity when stripped of societal anchors.