A homeless amateur archaeologist named Meepers attempts to decipher the cyclical destruction of London while predicting the city's future. Meepers navigates the modern urban landscape, acting as a conduit for the voices of those who inhabited the city across millennia. The narrative framework utilizes a non-linear structure, juxtaposing contemporary observations with historical vignettes. The protagonist faces the logical constraint of reconciling the physical decay of the city with the persistent, layered echoes of its past inhabitants.

Discussion often centers on the ambitious scope of the narrative and the author's ability to weave disparate historical periods into a cohesive urban portrait. Readers frequently highlight the experimental nature of the prose, noting how the shifts between voices create a sense of temporal fluidity. Critics often point to the balance between the gritty reality of the protagonist's life and the more abstract, historical segments of the text. The work is recognized for its atmospheric density and its unique approach to historical fiction that prioritizes the spirit of a location over traditional linear storytelling. Many readers find the inclusion of unconventional narrators to be a defining feature that distinguishes the book from standard historical accounts.