The Portrait of a Lady (Penguin Vitae)

Henry James's beloved masterpiece now in a beautiful hardcover edition featuring James's groundbreaking essay The Art of Fiction with a foreword by acclaimed novelist Brandon Taylor A Penguin Vitae EditionThe Portrait of a Lady is regarded by many as Henry James's finest work and a lucid tragedy exploring the distance between money and happiness. When Isabel Archer a beautiful spirited American is brought to Europe by her wealthy Aunt Touchett it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel resolved to enjoy the freedom that her fortune has opened up and to determine her own fate does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors. Then she finds herself irresistibly drawn to Gilbert Osmond. Charming and cultivated Osmond sees Isabel as a rich prize waiting to be taken. Beneath his veneer of civilized behavior Isabel discovers cruelty and a stifling darkness. In this portrait of a young woman affronting her destiny Henry James created one of his most magnificent heroines and a story of intense poignancy.