Chronicling a year in Toronto, Hoyden follows the gradual rise and quick plummet of Abigail Somerhaze, a bright-eyed photojournalist wannabe who spends her weekends helping the homeless, developing her portfolio, and dreaming of driving down Route 66. But when her bank balance dwindles, she's forced to abandon her fantasies and join a dot-com company on the verge of greatness. In doing so she devolves from a pretty woman with a keen eye and a keener wit to a bitter biddy on the verge of a nervous breakdown.