First published in 1897, this novel explores the impact of repressed emotions on the human psyche. The central character, Isabel Meredith, struggles to reconcile her duty-bound existence as a wife and mother with her unfulfilled desires for passion and adventure. Through Isabel's journey, Grand provides a critique of Victorian social norms and conventions, and draws attention to the ways in which such restrictions can cause psychological harm. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.