by Henry James
First published 1880
Catherine Sloper lives quietly in her father's Washington Square home, aware that her plain appearance disappoints Dr. Sloper daily. When the charming Morris Townsend begins courting her, Catherine experiences love for the first time. Her father sees through Morris immediately. The young man wants Catherine's inheritance, not Catherine herself. Dr. Sloper threatens to disinherit his daughter if she marries Morris. Catherine faces an impossible choice. She can keep her father's money and remain alone, or she can marry the only man who has ever shown her affection, even knowing he may not truly love her. The decision will determine whether Catherine breaks free from her father's control or remains trapped in his cold judgment forever.
Genres: drama, classic-literature, literary-fiction, american-fiction, 19th-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotionally-complex, intimate, introspective, melancholic, thought-provoking
Tropes: emotional-manipulation, forbidden-love, love-triangle, parental-disapproval
Setting: Washington Square, New York
Period: 19th century
258 pages · Paperback · Random House Publishing Group
Content warnings: emotional-abuse, gaslighting