Publisher's Synopsis
Collector's Edition Laminated Hardback with Jacket
A brilliant and fiercely independent young woman, Isabel Archer, is determined to shape her own destiny-but the world has other plans. When she unexpectedly inherits a fortune, she believes it will grant her the freedom to explore life on her own terms, yet wealth soon makes her a target for deception. Drawn into the glittering yet treacherous social circles of Europe, she falls under the influence of those who see her fortune as an opportunity to control her fate. As ambition, love, and betrayal collide, Isabel must confront the painful question of whether she is truly free-or merely another pawn in a world ruled by power and manipulation.
With its keen psychological depth and exploration of personal freedom, The Portrait of a Lady is a landmark in literary realism. Henry James masterfully captures the clash between Old World traditions and New World ideals, offering a vivid portrait of a woman's struggle for autonomy in a society that seeks to confine her. The novel's intricate character studies and nuanced prose influenced generations of writers, solidifying James as a pioneer of modern fiction. More than a century later, its themes of power, identity, and self-determination remain strikingly relevant.
