This is the story of a spirited young American woman, Isabel Archer, who "affronts her destiny" and finds it overwhelming. She inherits a large amount of money and subsequently becomes the victim of Machiavellian scheming by two American expatriates. Like many of the author's novels, it is set mostly in Europe and reflects his interest in the differences between the New World and the Old, often to the detriment of the former. It also explores the themes of personal freedom, responsibility, betrayal, and sexuality.