Our Own Set: A Novel
The narrative opens in Rome during 1870 and sketches a divided social world in which rival salon circles and seasonal visitors perpetuate ritualized entertainments. It follows a circle of aristocratic expatriates whose evenings, salons, and small scandals expose anxieties about political change, taste, and social standing. Key figures include a conservative count absorbed in polemical writing, a stately countess who presides over fashionable receptions, an aging soldier-turned-painter who remains a popular entertainer, and a reserved gentleman accompanied by a shy child. Through episodic scenes and wry observation, the work examines manners, privilege, and the uneasy efforts of tradition to remain relevant.
About This Book
The narrative opens in Rome during 1870 and sketches a divided social world in which rival salon circles and seasonal visitors perpetuate ritualized entertainments. It follows a circle of aristocratic expatriates whose evenings, salons, and small scandals expose anxieties about political change, taste, and social standing. Key figures include a conservative count absorbed in polemical writing, a stately countess who presides over fashionable receptions, an aging soldier-turned-painter who remains a popular entertainer, and a reserved gentleman accompanied by a shy child. Through episodic scenes and wry observation, the work examines manners, privilege, and the uneasy efforts of tradition to remain relevant.
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