Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

The events occur in modern times, with present-day police, a new Catholic chapel, and local clubs reflecting current social dynamics. Daily life intersects with ecological debates and legal investigations, anchoring the mystery in a recognizable, real-world era. The calendar is casual, with seasonal rituals and village routines shaping the pace of the story.

The story unfolds in a quiet rural village in Poland’s Silesian region near the Czech border. The landscape is defined by fields, forests and small houses, with a culture rooted in hunting and local superstition. This setting creates a tense backdrop for clashes between traditional ways and concerns about animal welfare.

🐾 Nature Ethics

Janina’s reverence for animals puts non-human life at the center of moral consideration. The narrative tests whether animals can enact or deserve retribution in a human world saturated with violence. The clash between hunting culture and animal-rights sentiment drives the central moral questions.

🔎 Investigation

A string of deaths triggers a police inquiry that dismisses Janina’s theories. The discovery of a revealing photograph and shifting testimonies push characters toward ambiguous guilt and uncertainty. The boundary between belief and evidence becomes the main tension as the case unfolds.

🌿 Nature & Society

The forest and countryside act as witnesses to the crime and as a sanctuary for Janina’s philosophy. The story probes how ecological concerns collide with hunting traditions and community loyalties. It questions whether nature can offer absolution or simply reflect human cruelty.

⚖️ Retribution

Janina’s path toward vengeance raises questions about moral balance and justice. The narrative blurs the line between protecting animals and harming people, forcing characters to confront who truly bears responsibility for violence. The ending reframes justice as something that may come at a personal moral cost.