The central conflict ignites when Orual, the embittered and physically unattractive princess of Glome, finds her possessive love for her beautiful sister Psyche challenged by Psyche's divine marriage to the god Cupid. Orual struggles to reconcile her earthly perception of love with the mysterious, often painful demands of the divine. Her narrative, presented as a formal complaint against the gods, follows her internal development as she grapples with jealousy, self-deception, and the nature of truth. The story unfolds within a harsh, pre-Christian landscape where the boundaries between human desire and sacred mystery remain perpetually obscured.

This work is widely regarded as the most sophisticated and psychologically complex of the author's fictional output. Critics frequently highlight the depth of Orual's characterization, noting how the narrative effectively subverts traditional mythological tropes to explore existential themes. The prose is noted for its stark, austere quality, which mirrors the harsh environment of Glome and the protagonist's own internal rigidity. Readers often find the exploration of possessive love and the difficulty of perceiving divine intent to be both challenging and intellectually rewarding. The book remains a significant point of discussion for those interested in the intersection of classical mythology and Christian philosophy.