When her father enlists to fight for the British in WWI, young Sara Crewe goes to New York to attend the same boarding school her late mother attended. She soon clashes with the severe headmistress, Miss Minchin, who attempts to stifle Sara's creativity and sense of self-worth. Sara's belief that "every girl's a princess" is tested to the limit, however, when word comes that her father was killed in action and his estate has been seized by the British government.

Stavanger is no longer a small fishing town on the West Coast, priding itself on titles like "oil capital" and "culture capital." People are wealthier, the cars more expensive and the houses more luxurious. Old wooden houses are demolished to give way to large residential complexes and gigantic food festivals. French acrobats dominate cultural life and behind it all, the global financial crisis is looming. In the middle of this materialistic everyday reality is Jonny Kristiansen, an up and coming 25 year old broker. Hungry for money and success, he is pulled into an unscrupulous financial world with cigars, champagne and exclusive escort girls. Jonny takes off and aims at the top of the finance pyramid with his goal to become the best, richest and most powerful at whatever cost.