Desire has always been a powerful force. It fills us with lust and courage to win, explore, conquer and love. But desire also has a dark and powerful side. It might be hard to see how this darkness may lead us astray. The will to do good is ingrained in us, we want safety and are compassionate, but we also hold the cause for transgression, savagery and ruthlessness. It frightens us, as if desire is in the flesh. A stranger among us.

Could acknowledging this dark force make us better equipped to handle the stranger among us? Is it possible to own your desire? To explore these and other questions Sissel Gran takes the reader on a journey through life and literature, in light and darkness.