First published 1920
Newland Archer prepares to announce his engagement to May Welland when her cousin arrives from Europe. Countess Olenska has left her husband and returned to New York society with an air of sophistication and scandal. Her tragic worldliness and sorrowful eyes draw Archer to her despite the rigid conventions of their social circle. The Countess brings European independence and a hint of impropriety that both attracts and threatens the established order. Archer finds himself caught between his growing passion for Olenska and his obligation to May. Society supports his proper engagement to the innocent May, but his connection to the Countess deepens against his better judgment. The conflict forces Archer to choose between the safe path of social duty and the dangerous pull of true love.
Genres: fiction, romance, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: duty-vs-desire, enemies-to-lovers, forbidden-romance
Setting: New York, Europe
Period: 19th-Century
368 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics