The central character, Kira is an orphan who has a deformed leg, and must learn to survive in a society that normally leaves the weak or disabled exposed to die in the fields.

In the course of the book, she begins to learn the art of dyeing thread to different colors except for blue, which nobody in her community knows how to make.

She is taught how to further solidify her talent from a much older woman, Annabella, who continues to teach Kira how to create dyes for different shades and hues for her thread work.

Thomas hears crying in her building, and they discover another orphan, a very young girl, Jo, whose ability to sing is magnificent.

That, and the secluded life that a very young Jo must live, help Kira decide to find out the truth about her society.

At the Ceremony of the Gathering, she notices that the current Singer both uses the staff that Thomas has worked so hard on and wears the robe that she repaired and enhanced.

Christopher reveals that he had been attacked years earlier by another hunter, who was jealous of his immediate potential of being a member on the Council of the Guardians.

Matt had gone looking for a way to make blue for Kira and stumbled upon Christopher's village, leading to this eventual reunion.

Kira, however, decides to stay in her own community to continue to embroider the Singer's robe and help improve her society.

At the end of the book, Matt tells Kira that in the Village, all are important and married, which she would have to do without in her society in which the injured and the impaired are seen as worthless wastes of space.

He continues to tell her about a boy from the Village who has blue eyes, is around her age, and is not injured in any way (alluding to Jonas from The Giver) in the hope that will entice her to come with them.

In the meantime, Matt will travel back and forth between Kira and her father Christopher, being called their Messenger, relaying their messages.