As Japanese forces invade Burma during World War II, a disparate group of civilians must navigate a perilous retreat through hostile territory. Paterson, a rice-mill manager, assumes the burden of leading this evacuation, accompanied by his Burmese mistress and her young brother. The group is defined by internal friction, as the English expatriates struggle to shed their ingrained social prejudices and personal grievances while facing the physical collapse of their colonial world. The narrative follows their slow, arduous movement northward, documenting the erosion of order under the pressure of imminent threat.

Readers frequently highlight the author's ability to capture the stifling atmosphere of a society in decline. Discussion often centers on the stark portrayal of human behavior when stripped of social comforts and placed under extreme duress. Critics note that the pacing mirrors the slow, exhausting nature of the group's retreat, which serves to heighten the sense of inevitable conflict. The work is often praised for its refusal to romanticize the colonial experience or the realities of war. Many readers find the internal power struggles within the group to be the most compelling aspect of the narrative.