A story about the tribulations of an aspiring socialite, Lily Bart, in turn-of-the-century New York. Her position is made especially precarious by her personal lack of wealth, but her being accustomed to running in the high social circles, participation in which requiring a steady stream of funds, for fancy clothes, large tips, and a gambling purse. Her dilemma lies in finding a suitor to marry: should she try and acquire a rich husband who can support her lifestyle, or should she try and escape the trappings of the socialite rat race?
The books reflects a lot on the dilemma, and the situation of this social class more broadly. This was interesting, and more peculiar than you might expect.
Like many serials, reading the book in one stretch can be a bit boring, as the end result ends up being more drawn out, with looser threads than a more edited novel would have. The language of the novel is in a particularly high register, with many emotional positions and thoughts being only loosely alluded to, even in the characters’ thoughts themselves.