The Standish family navigates the precarious boundary between emotional detachment and the chaotic risks of personal engagement in pre-war London. The narrative centers on the internal and external conflicts of the Standish household, where each member struggles to define their identity against the backdrop of a changing society. Mrs. Standish seeks vitality through clandestine affairs, while her daughter Eden pursues radical political activism and intense romantic entanglements. Elyot, the son, maintains a detached, intellectual distance from these upheavals until a series of events forces him to confront his own passivity and lack of genuine connection.

Readers and critics often note the dense, introspective prose style that characterizes White's early work. Discussion frequently centers on the stark contrast between the characters' emotional paralysis and the turbulent political climate of the era. Many observers highlight the author's ability to render the mundane details of domestic life with a sense of underlying existential dread. The work is often analyzed for its portrayal of the 'living' who remain emotionally stagnant versus the 'dead' who are trapped by their own inability to engage with the world. This novel is frequently cited as a significant precursor to the more experimental techniques White would refine in his later, more celebrated literary contributions.