The novel tells the story of Ursula Todd's beloved younger brother Teddy--would-be poet, RAF bomber pilot, husband, and father--as he navigates the perils and progress of the 20th century. For all Teddy endures in battle, his greatest challenge is facing the difficulties of living in a future he never expected to have. " A God in Ruins" explores the loss of innocence, the fraught transition from the war to peace time, and the pain of being misunderstood, especially as we age.