▁focus es ▁on ▁a ▁plant ation ▁owned ▁by ▁Sint il , ▁the ▁local ▁ou ng an ▁( vod ou ▁priest ), ▁and ▁run ▁by ▁z on bis . ▁The ▁z on bis , ▁humans ▁brought ▁back ▁to ▁life ▁from ▁a ▁death - like ▁state ▁by ▁an ▁ou ng an ▁to ▁work , ▁are ▁essentially ▁slaves . ▁They ▁cannot ▁speak , ▁cannot ▁think , ▁and ▁have ▁no ▁more ▁cogn itive ▁function ▁than ▁is ▁required ▁to ▁work ▁the ▁plant ation . ▁▁ ▁Sint il ▁controls ▁the ▁z on bis ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁his ▁daughter ▁S ilt ana ▁and ▁a ▁h ired ▁man ▁named ▁Z of è . ▁Sint il ▁frequently ▁rem inds ▁S ilt ana ▁that ▁she ▁must ▁remember ▁to ▁never ▁give ▁the ▁z on bis ▁salt ▁because ▁if ▁they ▁taste ▁it ▁they ▁will ▁w ake ▁up . ▁At ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁book ▁S ilt ana ▁is ▁happy ▁to ▁follow ▁her ▁father ' s ▁direct ives . ▁However ▁when ▁a ▁new ▁z on bi ▁named ▁Kl odon is ▁is ▁brought ▁to ▁the ▁plant ation ▁she ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁him ▁and ▁los es ▁interest ▁in ▁her ▁normal ▁duties ▁on ▁the ▁ran ch . ▁She ▁is ▁dev ast ated ▁by ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁Kl odon is ▁is ▁in ▁a ▁permanent ▁stup or ▁and ▁cannot ▁reci proc ate ▁her ▁feelings . ▁Her ▁fr ustration ▁builds ▁throughout ▁the ▁book ▁until ▁at ▁last ▁in ▁des per ation ▁she ▁gives ▁Kl odon is ▁salt ▁and ▁rest ores ▁him ▁to ▁being ▁fully ▁human . ▁Unfortunately , ▁far ▁from ▁being