Jonah follows the rise and fall of a young man born into the harsh environment of Sydney's slums, whose ambition to transcend his origins leads him into a complex web of social and personal conflict. Jonah, a man marked by a physical deformity, navigates the unforgiving streets of the early 20th-century city, driven by a desire for wealth and status. He faces opposition from the rigid class structures of his time and the volatile nature of his own desires, which threaten to dismantle the life he has built. The narrative employs a gritty, observational style to document his transformation from a street-gang leader to a successful businessman, highlighting the precarious nature of his social mobility.

This work is widely regarded as a significant contribution to Australian urban realism, noted for its unsentimental portrayal of Sydney's working-class districts. Critics often highlight Stone's ability to capture the specific atmosphere of the city's slums with a precision that was rare for its time. The narrative is frequently analyzed for its unflinching look at the protagonist's moral compromises as he climbs the social ladder. Readers and scholars alike point to the book's enduring relevance in understanding the social dynamics of early twentieth-century Australian life.