A family holiday on the coast serves as the catalyst for the unraveling of long-standing domestic tensions. The story is filtered through the perspective of a young narrator navigating the complexities of her home life, specifically her relationship with her mother and her unpredictable brother, known as the Prince. As the family attempts to find respite by the sea, the erratic behavior of the brother and the shifting dynamics between the household members create a claustrophobic atmosphere. The narrative examines the fragility of familial bonds when confronted with the reality of individual instability and the weight of shared history.

This work is often noted for its understated approach to the complexities of family life and the specific, often unsettling, domestic atmosphere Elizabeth Jolley is known for creating. The narrative relies on the narrator's limited but sharp observations to reveal the underlying friction between the characters. Readers typically find the portrayal of the brother, the Prince, to be a compelling study in instability and the impact of such volatility on those closest to him. The coastal setting acts as a quiet backdrop that emphasizes the internal conflicts rather than resolving them, leaving the reader with a sense of unresolved domestic reality.