The collapse of the antebellum social order is triggered by the volatile intersection of two prominent Virginia families during the American Civil War. Lacy Buchan serves as the narrator, reflecting on the disintegration of his family's traditional values when his brother-in-law, George Posey, enters their lives. The Buchans represent the structured, agrarian stability of Pleasant Hill, while Posey embodies a disruptive, modern individualism that defies the established social code. The narrative operates as a retrospective account, examining how internal contradictions and personal choices accelerate the inevitable decline of their civilization.

Discussion often centers on the novel's dense, intellectual prose and its departure from traditional romanticized depictions of the Old South. Readers frequently highlight the stark contrast between the Buchan family's rigid morality and George Posey's unpredictable, modern nature. Critics often note the author's focus on the internal collapse of a culture rather than the external military conflict of the war. The work is recognized for its psychological depth and its refusal to offer simple moral judgments regarding the characters' actions. Many readers find the atmospheric tension and the philosophical inquiry into the nature of civilization to be the most compelling aspects of the narrative.