In a future England grappling with extreme overpopulation, the government enforces strict anti-natalist policies that force citizens to navigate a society where homosexuality is state-sanctioned and traditional family structures are criminalized. Tristram Foxe and his wife, Beatrice-Joanna, struggle to maintain their personal autonomy within a rigid, claustrophobic urban environment that prioritizes population control above all else. As the state’s grip on social norms fluctuates, the couple is swept into a volatile cycle of societal collapse, shifting from enforced sterility to chaotic, ritualistic fertility. The narrative employs a satirical framework to examine the cyclical nature of human history and the absurdity of state-mandated social engineering.

Readers and critics frequently highlight the novel's blend of dark humor and grim social commentary, noting how it functions as a biting critique of state control. Discussion often centers on the author's inventive use of language and his ability to construct a world that feels like a distorted reflection of contemporary societal anxieties. Many observers point to the shift from a sterile, regulated society to one of chaotic, primitive violence as a central point of thematic interest. The work is often praised for its intellectual depth and its refusal to offer easy solutions to the complex problems it presents. Readers generally find the narrative pacing to be intense, reflecting the erratic and unpredictable nature of the world the characters inhabit.