The arrival of an orphaned niece disrupts the carefully curated lives of four sisters in a small New Zealand town during the 1920s. Jenny, a young girl from Australia, joins her four aunts—the Misses Admiral—who have recently escaped the influence of their strict father. The household, already prone to romantic whims and social frivolity, finds its domestic order challenged by the addition of another spirited personality. The narrative explores the tension between the sisters' desire for respectability and the natural, chaotic energy of the household members. Set against a backdrop of colonial aspirations and the encroaching wild landscape, the story follows the characters as they navigate social expectations and personal desires.

Readers frequently highlight the charm and wit present in Ruth Park's depiction of small-town life. Discussion often centers on the contrast between the characters' rigid European sensibilities and the untamed New Zealand environment that surrounds them. Critics note the author's ability to balance humor with a subtle, underlying sense of irony regarding the social constraints of the era. The pacing is described as leisurely, allowing for deep character development within the domestic sphere. Many appreciate the vivid sense of place that makes the setting an active participant in the narrative arc.