The book is a snapshot of the lives of men and women in English society. The book follows the daily life and struggles of a small group of people, who are unhappy and reaching for meaning in life. Walter Bidlake follows the footsteps of his father John, when he pursues Lucy Tantamount ( the elder Bidlake had an affair with Lady Tantamount). Elinor is stuck in a marriage that leaves her feeling empty and alone, Spandrell feels he has been wronged by life since his mother remarried. The women, with exception of Lucy and Mary, are forced to accept their lot in life, accepting husbands who are unfaithful, distant and bored with married life. The men are in pursuit of truth in life and have no regard for how this pursuit affects those around them. This theme continues throughout the 400+ pages of the book and once the book introduces a surprise twist it quickly picks up pace before the abrupt end. With exception to the end of the book, you are mainly reading about the sometimes mundane daily activities and thoughts of the men and women involved. While not uninteresting the book moves at a fairly slow pace since it lacks a "main event" until the end.