Young Theeb lives with his tribe in a forgotten corner of the Ottoman Empire. Having recently lost his father, Theeb is being raised by his brother Hussein, who tries to teach him the Bedouin way of life. But the boy is more interested in mischief. Their lives are interrupted when a British Army Officer arrives on a mysterious mission.

Not wanting to dishonour his late father’s reputation, Hussein agrees to escort the officer to a well. Fearful of separation, Theeb follows Hussein. Since the outbreak of the First World War, this harsh terrain has become the hunting ground of Ottoman mercenaries, Arab revolutionaries and outcast Bedouin raiders. If Theeb (meaning ‘wolf’ in Arabic) is to survive, he must quickly learn about adulthood, trust and betrayal, and live up to the name his father gave him.