This novel is set in Ireland during the 1920s, against the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence. It centers around the lives of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, focusing on the Naylor family who reside in a big country house in County Cork. The story captures the end of an era, as the political upheaval outside threatens the insulated, decaying world of the Anglo-Irish gentry. Through the eyes of Lois Farquar, a young woman staying with her relatives, the Naylors, the narrative explores themes of identity, love, and the painful transition from the security of adolescence to the uncertainties of adulthood, all while the established social order around them is crumbling.

The 4089th greatest book of all time