The decline of the pioneer era is mirrored in the life of Marian Forrester, a woman whose charm and vitality captivate a young neighbor. As the heroic age of the transcontinental railroad gives way to a generation of exploiters, Marian's struggle to maintain her social position exposes the fragility of the American dream. The novel is a masterpiece of perspective, filtering the complexities of an adult woman through the disillusioned eyes of an adolescent boy. It is a melancholic and beautiful portrait of the loss of nobility in the West.